Chapter 10

"Ah! Duncan!" Courtney squealed as the punker lifted her out of the water and swung her around. "Ha ha ha! Duncan, put me down!" Courtney giggled.

"Not a chance!" Duncan called as he ran farther into the waves with her. Though the punk seemed care-free, he was really walking on egg shells. One little slip-up and Courtney could decided that she was uncomfortable with how he was joking with her. But so far so good.

"Duncan, if you aren't careful you're going to-" Before Courtney could get out the last word, Duncan's foot caught something in the water and they both fell, face first, into the knee-high water. The two sat up sputtering, Duncan laughing. "Trip," Courtney finished her sentence, somewhat undaunted. The punker grinned at the prude, who gave him a glare much like the old Courtney would before she tipped her head back and laughed.

"I bet you didn't expect to have this much fun with me, huh Princess?" Duncan had not expected to get this lucky; not only was Courtney willingly spending time with him, she also seemed to be having fun. Actual, genuine fun, which made Duncan feel good too. And the outfit she was wearing, well... She had come a long way from the ugly gray number she'd worn the first time he'd seen her. The bathing suit she hd on now was a modest black bikkini which showed off her gorgeous figure. If I weren't a semi-trustworthy man, Duncan allowed the thought to trail off.

"Oh Duncan, what am I to do with you?" Courtney chuckled.

"Whatever you want," The punk replied ernestly.

Courtney giggled nervously. "Did you ever imagine Key West to be this fun?"

"Nope." Duncan said as-a-matter-of-factly. The two chuckled briefly before they fell silent, still looking at each other.

Courtney felt embarrassed before she looked away from the blue-eyed boy. "Oh wow! Duncan, look!" She exclaimed, pushing herself out of the water. Duncan looked to where the girl was pointing and he saw, to his amazement, what he believed were dolphins. Courtney smiled. "Bridgete's told me all about dolphins. They're supposedly really intelligent."

"Is that right?" Duncan said, standing up beside her. Courtney turned towards Duncan with a wide smile that almost took the punk's breath away before suggesting they go sit on the shore. The brunette was just so sweet towards him, it was hard to believe that they'd ever broken up. Oh how Duncan regretted that fling with Gwen. God how he hated Heather.

"Duncan?" Courtney's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Princess?"

"I don't want to make this awkward but... Could we... Talk?"

Duncan blinked for a moment in confusion. but then nodded, suddenly feeling quiet. "We can talk about anything you want. You know that."

"Duncan... Why did you date Gwen?" Duncan was surpised when he didn't hear anything agressive in her tone. Only curiosity... And a little sadness.

The punker thought for a moment as they sat on the wet sand, watching the waves lap at their legs. "There really isn't an excuse. But... I felt so neglected by you when we were on the world tour. You seemed to be using me, and Gwen felt just as ignored by Trent as I did, and... Well..."

"I'm sorry," Courtney said suddenly.

"No, Princess; I'm the one who should be sorry." Duncan looked out over the late-morning ocean, expression solem. "No matter how hurt I was feeling, it gave me no right to turn around and hurt you."

"But I should've been more intuitive to your needs." Courtney drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

"Honestly, Sunshine, what happened, happened. I'm just sorry that we hurt each other," Duncan said with surprising honesty in his husky voice. Courtney looked at him, and he shrugged his shoulders.

"Me too. Do you think we'll be okay?"

The question totally caught Duncan off-guard. The way Courtney said the word 'we'... "Honestly, if there is a we to go back to, I'd do it in a heart beat, and I'd do things right."

"I hope there's a we to go back to. Someday..." Courtney trailed off.

Duncan felt his heart skip a beat, and hoping against hope, he glanced at Courtney beside him. The brunette girl was looking out at the water, seemingly entranced. But one slender mocha hand had somehow made its way on top of the punk's own. Duncan felt something within his chest tighten. Oh Princess...