The Long Road of Redemption: By Luna Mrow

Chapter Ten: This Can't Happen Twice

~X~X~X~

Last night felt like a swig of soda with a bad aftertaste, and no matter how many times you drink something else or eat food it still remains in your taste buds. My bad aftertaste was jail. Finally after I had gotten out of that godforsaken place Bridgette drove me to my motel room. After such a long time I was finally by myself in my own solitude and was hugging a large pillow close to me.

Who could have kidnapped Justin? That bothered me to no end. A crazy fan girl maybe? My brows furrowed. Didn't hundreds of Total Drama fans get together from around the world to see this week long reunion show? That was it! I'll bet the kidnapper is someone in the audience!

Quickly I grabbed my phone and called Noah. "Hello?" he answered his voice sounding tired.

It suddenly occurred to me it was 6:23 in the morning. Whoops. "Yeah Noah, what time is your reunion show today?"

"No, I don't want to smoke any unicorns…"

"What? Noah, listen to me, what time does—"

"Pants are for cheetahs' silly woman."

He hung up. "Ugh!" I groaned. Noah must've still been asleep when he answered his phone. "You know you spend too much time with Izzy." Taking in a deep breath I dialed Duncan's cell phone number. It's probably not his number anymore this was his number I had three years ago. All I can remember is keeping his number in my phone just in case I wanted to call him and cuss him out. Of course that'd be something the old Courtney would do.

Ringing…

Ringing…

Ringing…

"Hello?"

I suddenly froze. I couldn't say anything back.

"Hello?" the voice repeated. "If this is a prank call, you're really bad at it."

The line went dead.

My hand slowly descended from my ear to my side where I dropped the phone on the carpet. The one who answered Duncan's phone? It was Gwen.

Just what in the hell is going on?

~X~X~X~

It was 6:00 in the evening and I hadn't called or talked to any of my old cast members. Bridgette called me once and left a message saying she'd be at the Entertainment Center where they held the first reunion show. Noah called but didn't leave a message. Izzy also called and left a message ordering a pizza… which is weird because I never gave her my number. Duncan never called.

Forget about him, I told myself as I sat down in the audience of the reunion show. I'm on a mission I can't be thinking about Duncan. What's my mission? Find the crazy fan girl (or who knows, maybe fan boy) who kidnapped Justin. The problem with my mission? This was a Total Drama reunion show with Total Drama fans! So I'll have to be alert, aware and pay special attention to those who look suspicious.

"Hey I know you!" a voice suddenly exclaimed. I turned my head and saw the little girl Raquel who sat next to me the first night of the reunion. "You're the lady who told me never to say the word bastard."

"Raquel you just said it!" her older sister Grace snapped.

"Oops. Sorry lady."

"It's alright," I smiled. Raquel was now wearing a shirt that said DxG with a picture of Duncan and Gwen holding hands inside of a heart. "I thought you were a Duncan Courtney fan."

Raquel shrugged. "I was, but then Grace converted me to DxG when we watched the third season of TDWT. I realized Courtney was just a big bee-yotch and Gwen is the one truly meant for Duncan."

"Long live DxG!" Grace shouted in the audience, a few people whooping.

The combination of pretty much everyone in the audience hating me (even though it wasn't directly me) and the fact Gwen answered Duncan's phone made me lash out in anger. "Is Gwen really someone you want to admire?" I shrieked to the two little girls. "In case you didn't notice, she helped Duncan cheat on someone, she was the knife he used to stab me—uh—Courtney in the back! I don't care how much of a 'bee-yotch' Courtney was, Duncan cheated on her and Gwen went along with it! That makes Gwen as much of a bee-yotch too!"

Angrily I stormed out of the reunion show. Eyes followed me because to them I was just some random lady in the audience throwing a fan fit. They had no idea I was actually Courtney, the girl who actually got cheated on! They had no clue whatsoever!

Seventeen minutes passed and I was alone inside the woman's bathroom (which was huge) sitting on one of the plush couches. My knees were huddled against my chest and my head was buried on my knees. Did all the Total Drama fans really hate me? Did they really see Gwen as a saint?

It didn't take long before I regained my maturity. I shouldn't have lashed out at the two little girls. God, what kind of person does that? Who just starts yelling at kids?

I'm walking on sunshine

Whoa-oh! I'm walking on sunshine

Whoa-oh! And it's gonna feel good!

Hey! Oh right now!

A text message? I took out my phone. It was from Sam. Hey kiddo, I just spent an hour figuring out how to text. I don't know how you kids do it so fast. Anyway just wanted to let you know I miss you. –Sam.

I smiled. Of course it'd take him an hour to figure out how to text, I remember it taking him two days to figure out how to program speed dial when people called him. Thinking about Sam made me feel better. He's always patient with me, he always helps me and he always encourages me. Sam must have known I was upset he sent the text message at the perfect time. I remembered our last conversation before I left:

"Courtney, ever since the day I rescued you on the boat in the seas of Hawaii I've wanted one thing: you to be happy." Sam gave me a soft smile. Tears started to form at the edge of my eyes. "You've changed Courtney. You're stronger, kinder, so much more than what you used to be. But you've still got problems with your old cast members. At least try and get them solved."

He only wished me happiness. Was I happy huddled on a couch inside the woman's bathroom? Surprisingly no. With an encouraged smile I opened the door and walked out of the bathroom and back into the reunion show. Instead of going back to my original seat I stood up near the doors. All the cast members I could see were up on stage with Chris and Chef.

Wait, I've got to remember my mission! Okay Courtney, now if I were a crazy fan girl/guy where would I sit? Towards the front of course. But what if I was a psycho fan girl/guy who wanted to kidnap the stars? Then I'd sit in the back. But what if I was a psycho fan girl/guy who didn't want to be too suspicious by sitting in the very back or by sitting in the very front? Then I'd sit in the middle.

…

Damn it I'm back to square one! I'm a horrible spy. (A/N LOL!) Maybe they'll be outside the building? I should go investigate and get some fresh air while I'm at it. I walked outside into the nighttime breeze and took in a huge breath. There's no way I'm finding the kidnappers by myself.

"Hi there," said a voice.

I turned around. To my surprise Trent was standing hunched over a few yards away from me with a smile on his face. He looked the same as he did three years ago, his hair shorter and less shagged. "Oh… hi," I smiled back. Trent's smiles were always contagious.

"Sorry to bother you, but I dropped my guitar pick on the ground and I really need to find it… would you mind helping me?"

"Of course not," I answered while still smiling. "What color is it?"

"Light green. In fact, it's the color of your tank top."

"Oh, alright." I saw his pick underneath some bushes. "Here you go," I said handing it to him.

"Thank you so much, you're a life saver!" he exclaimed happily. "You probably already know who I am, I'm Trent."

"I do know you. I'm Haley."

"Well thank you so much Haley. I really appreciate it." He picked up his guitar and slung it over his shoulders. "They're expecting me to play a few of my songs tonight."

"Oh, well then don't let me keep you, go on ahead."

Trent stared at me for a moment. "Have we met before?"

"No, I'm pretty sure if I met a celebrity I'd remember." Somehow lying to Trent made me feel guilty.

He laughed. "Right, celebrity. You know, before Total Drama I was just a simple guy who liked to play my guitar."

"Uh-huh?"

"Sometimes I wish I could go back to that." He sighed.

I can respect Trent for being a humbled musician. Really out of everyone he got cheated the most. How could Gwen just toss him like that? "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Is it true, are you still together with Gwen?"

"Yeah," he smiled. "We have the past year."

"What made you take her back?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, after she split with Duncan what made you take her back?"

It was too bad Trent never answered me. Because right at that moment a bullet flew over our heads, making us both crouch down in fear! Suddenly the three men dressed all in black were behind us, one grabbing me with his strong arms the other two grabbing Trent!

"Let us go!" I screamed, trying to kick and squirm out of the kidnappers grasp!

"You again!" he grunted, "You're a pain in my ass!"

Suddenly I was thrown to the ground as the man who was holding me grabbed Trent and the three started pulling him away. I can't go after them I already tried that with Justin! But I can't just sit here and watch them drag away, can I?

NO! I can't!

I took the first thing I saw as a weapon—which was a fallen tree limb—and swung away, knocking one of the kidnappers down on his knees. Immediately I turned and swung at the two holding Trent (accidentally hitting Trent as well) but my plan worked and they let him go! "Come on!" I screamed, grabbing his hand for us to run.

Chik!

"Let's not forget we have guns," a kidnapper smiled. My heart froze. Trent and I slowly turned around. "Let him go, and no one dies."

"Haley let go of my arm," Trent ordered.

"But!"

"No! I'll be okay, just let me go." I let go of his arm and Trent walked a few steps next to the three kidnappers. He looked at me. "Tell Gwen I love her and I'll be okay."

The one with the gun smirked. "If you're at our next kidnapping, I'll kill you," he said to me. And then I watched helplessly as the three drove away with Trent.

No… this can't happen twice. Not twice. Trent can't be kidnapped! I fell to my knees. "I swear," I hushed under my breath, my lips trembling, "I swear I'll come after you!"

"Courtney!"

My head turned around. Izzy was standing there with his eyes wide. She ran over to me and got on her knees next to me. "I saw what happened I couldn't get over here fast enough!" she exclaimed.

"They took him," I sobbed. "And they're going to kidnap someone again. They're going to strike again."

"It's alright," Izzy said softly. "You were so brave."

"It's not enough. The cops won't listen to me Ham already thinks I committed the first kidnapping and if he found out I was at the second he'll blame me! There's nothing we can do!"

"You're wrong." Izzy's voice was stern and full of force. "We're going to stop them Courtney. I swear to you, we're going to stop them!"

Author's Note:

AAAAHHHH! DRAMA! Seriously, I think Izzy is kick ass. She's crazy, yeah, but she can also kick some ass. I feel bad for Trent. Nice guys always seemingly finish last *tear* XD

Please don't get mad at me for the cliffhanger. This chapter is a good 600 words longer than the rest. So… yeah… remember that XD Please review (so appreciated!) and thank you for reading.

~Luna