So let's continue. Australia next...oh, and BTW, I've been to Hanging Rock and I even caught a glimpse of a wild rock wallaby. At least, I think it wasn't a kangaroo...but it bounced like one. Thanks for reviewing, Ali6132, pleasereadmything and the guest reviewer.

Haley would have been excited for the next destination, but Courtney's attitude was ruining everything for her.

At one point, Courtney pulled the younger girl aside and whispered "Listen, we vote out Gwen, okay? I'm going to tell Heather, too. Sierra's voting with us, but I know Cody's hopeless, so he won't see how evil she is."

"Give me a break, Courtney!" Haley protested. "Look, I know what Gwen did was wrong, but we need to think strategically."

"Are you telling me that you want to vote me off?"
"No!" Haley said quickly. "But Heather won't agree to vote for Gwen unless you promise her you won't try to lose any more challenges. If you do, she might try to vote you off. You know how much Heather hates losing. But I just don't want to get involved in your fight with Gwen."
"Listen!" Courtney said fiercely. "You've been staying out of challenges recently. I could convince them to vote you off. Just promise that you'll vote with me this time."

Haley couldn't believe her ears. This was not the Courtney she made friends with on the island. It was like she was talking to Courtney's evil twin, while the real one was locked up somewhere. Had breaking up with Duncan really affected her that much? Maybe, she thought for the first time, maybe it would be beneficial to Courtney's mental health if she voted her off. She obviously would've been thrilled to see the back of Gwen, but getting her away from Duncan, too, would be a good idea. No doubt he'd like to see Courtney gone.

Haley resolved to vote for either Sierra (for Cody's benefit) or Courtney (for the greater benefits), crossed her fingers behind her back and recited lifelessly "Okay, Courtney, I promise I will vote with you if we get to elimination."

"When we get to elimination!" Courtney corrected. "Thank you!" she added primly.

Haley pulled Heather aside only minutes before Chris called everyone to the common area. "Heather, I'm not going to bother explaining why I'm asking, but have you decided who you're voting off?"

Heather shrugged. "Probably Courtney. She promised not to try to lose this challenge, but if she does, she's gone."

Haley gave her the thumbs up. "Good. I'm voting for either her or Sierra, and I know for a fact Gwen and Cody will vote for one or the other." All of the votes counted on Heather. If Gwen got Cody and had Haley on her side but not Heather, it would result in a tiebreaker if Heather voted Gwen. If she voted for Courtney, however, Gwen would be safe.

When they were called, Alejandro turned his attention on Courtney, making Haley feel a bit jealous. "Courtney, we need to talk."

Courtney pulled away. "Whatever Duncan said about me, it's not true."

"I don't listen to a word he says, in fact," Haley couldn't hear what he said next because he whispered it to Courtney, but she decided not to care. After he left her alone, Heather asked Courtney if she was all right.

"Never better." Courtney said with a dreamy smile. It took most of Haley's strength not to ask out loud why Alejandro had suddenly turned his affections on Courtney. It took a few minutes for her mind to clear and wonder why he'd suddenly swapped to playing Courtney. Had he decided Haley wasn't enough of a threat or not useful to him any more? The young girl had to admit, it had been kind of nice while it lasted, but maybe she could finally get back with Cody.

The destination was Victoria, Australia, but not the city part. No, this was closer to the wildlife. The first part of the challenge was an emu race into the Blue Mountains. The winner was whichever team got to Hanging Rock first, the setting of that very true story made into a movie with the three schoolgirls who disappeared.

Haley was lucky to be small and light. The emu she crept up to barely noticed her until she was sitting astride it, and it started running when she pulled on the provided reins, although the emu didn't run slowly enough for her to see Courtney accidentally-on-purpose trying to lose by pretending she couldn't catch the emu and Alejandro helping her onto one.

Haley got onto her emu so fast that she was actually ahead of everyone else for a while. Finally, she heard a voice behind her.

"Hola, Haley."

Haley glanced behind her and blushed. She looked away. "Oh...hi, Alejandro." she mumbled. She was still jealous that he'd flirted with Courtney, but besides that, her emu was quick but careless, so she was a mess. Twigs in her tangled hair, scratches on her bare arms, and her fair skin was slowly but surely starting to burn.

"You look beautifully majestic on your emu." Alejandro complimented her, as if he'd read her mind.

Haley blushed further and said "I...I don't. You're just saying that."

"No, really!" Alejandro said, more conviction in his voice, this time. "Your emu should be taking more care with you. It doesn't know how lucky it is."

This time, Haley smiled. She didn't even notice the man passing her, and absentmindedly slowed her emu down, only realizing that she'd just lost her lead afterwards.

It was a couple of days before everyone got to Hanging Rock. Haley was still in second place, although she'd been trying to catch up ever since. Her emu was pretty irritable, too, but at least it still ran when she was asleep on its back. She wished she was like Gwen or Duncan, able to stay awake for three nights even after a long run and a big meal, just like in the Awake-A-Thon back on the island.

Haley was close behind Alejandro by the time she arrived at Hanging Rock, but Heather was even closer on her tail, followed by Courtney. A kangaroo dropped off a badly beaten Duncan. When it punched him again, everyone laughed, except Heather. "Ignore them." she said, helping him up. "They're just jealous."

Haley narrowed her eyes. What was Heather up to? Gwen's expression matched hers when she arrived, but luckily, Duncan brushed off Heather and took more interest in his current girlfriend.

Team Amazon won, since Owen turned up last.

Before Owen appeared, Chris explained the next part of the challenge. Teams would take turns bungee jumping off the cliff and trying to grab a sheep from a pen below. Three sheep had one of their logos on it, and they would have to shear one of those sheep. The team that did it first won the challenge and got to First Class. Team Amazon got an advantage of an electric razor to shear the sheep, while Team CIRRRRH got only a pair of gardening shears.

Gwen managed to pull both Heather and Haley aside at one time to ask them to vote Courtney off if they lost.

"I'm in." Heather said simply.

"Me too." Haley added. Gwen and Cody grinned and slapped palms – presumably, she'd already talked to him.

Courtney jumped first, and came up empty-handed, of course. Gwen looked nervous, but Duncan called out encouragement to her. She came back with a log.

Cody finally delivered, and it was time for the singing challenge.

To be honest, Haley decided to only sing if Chris reminded her. Her throat was parched after the race, and she had been very enthusiastic in the last few songs she'd been in. Luckily, she got away with it, but it wasn't the right sheep they had, anyway. Owen arrived back, but Haley wasn't really focused on anything to do with the challenge for a moment.

She was more concerned that Alejandro was hitting on Courtney, and she was playing up to him. In fact, she was very jealous. Duncan appeared to be acting disappointed, but Haley knew that couldn't be right. She pulled the delinquent aside and hissed "Why are you pretending to cry? Give it up. We all know that you don't care one bit about what happens to Courtney. Maybe you did once, but I don't think you care enough since you cheated on her and didn't show any remorse for hurting her! If this is some elaborate scheme to get Courtney distracted, don't bother. Heather and Gwen and Cody and I have it covered."

Duncan knew that Haley wasn't going to take some 'she was my girlfriend for a long time, I do still think about her' excuse, so he just shrugged. "Whatever. It's game strategy. Courtney's a strong player." He didn't let on that this was meant to get Heather jealous too, but when he got a moment where the girls and Owen weren't around, he told Alejandro that not only was their plan working, but he could tell from Haley's expressions that she was insanely jealous too. "She's pretty strong, in spite of her age. If Courtney gets voted off, maybe you should flirt with her next." he suggested.

As it was, Team CIRRRRH won. It could've been because they set a dingo on Cody when it was his turn to jump again, but then it could've also been because they won fairly. Either way, Team Amazon trudged to elimination.

Chris solemnly listed their problems. "Sierra – last to arrive, first to get injured. Courtney – slow with the emu, fast with the flirting. Cody – a petty feud sent you spinning all the way here. Heather – not your most focused performance. Haley – letting yourself be constantly distracted. And Gwen – Duncan? Really?" Gwen scowled.

Finally, it was time to vote. "Cody, you're up first."

Cody was still a bit dazed from the dingo attack, but Haley just hoped he'd remember to vote for Courtney. Or, at least, to not vote for Gwen and force a tiebreaker.

After everyone was done, they sat there, waiting. "Okay," said Chris. "One vote for Courtney, one for Gwen. A second for Courtney, a second for Gwen. One for Sierra. And the last vote goes to..." Courtney crossed her fingers. Gwen looked stony.

"Courtney!"

Gwen smiled. Courtney looked shocked. "What?" she exclaimed. "This is an outrage. How can I be going home?"

Haley put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry, Court. Strategy. Heather warned you not to throw any more challenges, and I'm seriously worried about you."

Courtney shook her (maybe former) friend off. "Don't touch me! You promised you'd vote for Gwen!"

Meanwhile, Sierra was in floods of tears again. "It was an accident, I swear!" Cody said, but he sounded less dazed than he had been. Maybe he was acting so Sierra might go but if she didn't, it wouldn't be a repeat of France.

But Courtney had to go. Haley watched as the brunette took the parachute and dropped, screaming the whole way down.

Ha! Bet you didn't expect to see Courtney go, did you? Sorry, fans of Courtney, but I have plans, and Courtney will mess them up.

Courtney: PUT ME BACK IN THE GAME, RIGHT NOW!

Me: Courtney...calm down. All this anger isn't good for you-

Courtney: I DON'T CARE, PUT ME BACK AND KICK GWEN OFF!

Me: No way. You've got another chance in All-Stars, just accept it. Even if I kept you in, you'd be kicked off in China for letting Alejandro use you to cheat. Oh, and since you're here, do the honours.

Courtney: Fine. Send reviews asking SideshowJazz1 to bring me back! If she won't listen to me, maybe she'll listen to you!