"You know Gwen, it's not too late to back out."

Gwen laughed as her brother slammed the trunk closed and she stood with her stuff. They'd reached the new dropoff point for filming the show, and once again, it was time for goodbyes.

"Yeah, say that to my contract. It's just one more season, right?"

Her brother folded his arms, tossing a Tim Horton's bag on top of her used Prius. "Yeah, unless there's a hidden zombie clause where the show comes back from the dead and resurrects you with it."

"Don't worry, there's no zombie clause here. My lawyers made sure."

Gwen turned to see Courtney standing behind her, with Duncan holding both of their bags. Neither of them were in costume yet, giving both an air of unfamiliarity. And yet, from Courtney's white leggings and rosy pink top blowing in the wind to Duncan's dark tank top and black plaid pants, they still presented like a movie couple. It'd be impressive if Gwen actually cared.

Courtney scoffed. "Like I'd let any of you get infinite chances at the million."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Oh great work, Courtney, because I was definitely planning on exploiting the contract I signed on a dare to infinity. Foiled again!"

Before she could combat the sarcasm, Duncan popped up behind her.

"For real? That's awesome, who's the mastermind that goaded you into the worst dare of a lifetime?" Duncan asked, jumping in.

Gwen's brother raised his hand. "Guilty as charged. Hey, Courtney." He said, snubbing Duncan. Gwen noticed, but didn't object. Duncan was the one staring at her undies on then-national TV, and if the price he paid was her brother's ardent disapproval, she could live with that.

Courtney actually smiled back at her brother. "Hello. Wait, I remember you from season one. No way, did you drive Gwen here?"

Gwen cracked a smile. "And to breakfast. Seriously, you're turning into one hell of a chauffeur, little bro."

Her brother looked pleased. "Yeah, I just started driving solo last week so I can go anywhere, it's awesome! Just don't get eliminated in Zimbabwe, ok Gwen? I don't think they'll accept this paper license over there if I get stopped. "

"Man, I don't think she's getting eliminated at all. Seriously, either you or Courtney totally would have had it last season. I mean, if I wasn't there."

Gwen's brother shot Duncan a critical look. "And what brings his million dollar majesty back to Total Drama anyway?"

Duncan moved closer to Courtney. "Her name starts with C and I'm obligated to follow whatever she says." Courtney sighed with satisfaction as Duncan mouthed (My Contract).

Gwen laughed, and even her brother snorted once, before catching himself.

A passing intern ran up to the drop off area. "Attention cast, hair and makeup open in five!"

Courtney snapped to attention. "Thank you five! Oh Duncan, we should get down there before the line gets long."

"I guess that's our cue." Gwen told her brother, and he shot her a sad smile.

"Yeah okay." Gwen opened her arms, and he fell into a tender hug. "Seriously, have fun."

Gwen squeezed him back. "No kidding I will. I'm bringing you evidence of a prank in every country. Be good to my car."

Her brother let go, and walked around to the driver's side, stroking the vehicle lovingly. "By the end of the summer this'll be my car. It'll learn to love me more while you're gone. Sucks for you!"

Gwen just shrugged as her brother got back into the vehicle. "No biggie, I'll just buy a new one with the mil!" He slammed the door shut and started the engine, window down, while Gwen grabbed her bags and walked towards the curb. "Bye bye, baby bro!"

He started to pull away. "Later Gwennie!"

And with that, her brother was gone. Gwen turned to Duncan and Courtney, who'd waited for her.

"Come on Gwennie, time's a wastin."

Before Gwen could defend herself from the teasing, Courtney cut in, and started walking. "That's actually super sweet, Gwen. Who knew your kid brother would grow up so fast?"

Courtney, being kind of nice? That seemed to come out of the blue, but whatever. Her brother was one of the few things Gwen let herself be unrelentingly proud of.

"Uh yeah, he rules. That's one of the things that sucks about Total Drama, I've seriously missed the summers with my brother."

"I get it." Courtney said, "My parents missed me a bunch too."

"Well I loved it!" Duncan announced. "Didn't have to go home and see parole Pete two years in a row. That's a win for me."

Gwen frowned. "Wait, seriously? But you're in juvie school all year, when do you see your parents?"

Duncan kept walking. "Huh. I hadn't thought about it. I guess it's been maybe… two years. Damn." He was quiet for a second, then grinned. "Man, that rules!"

Gwen was ready to tease the living daylights out of Duncan for that terrible definition of what 'rules', but then she saw him look away from them both, eyes pained, and squeeze his bag a little tighter.

Oh.

Courtney didn't get it. "What? That doesn't sound-" Gwen placed a hand on her arm. She was thinking that even if it didn't work Courtney would blow up at her instead, but she stopped talking.

To her credit, Courtney glanced at Gwen, then Duncan, and actually got the hint.

So instead, she smiled and ruffled Duncan's mowhawk affectionately. "You're so independent." She complimented, and Duncan's forced smile seemed a little more genuine.

"Hell yeah to independence. And now we get to travel all over the world!" Gwen announced, changing the subject completely.

Courtney swooned at the thought. "I know! And since I sued the pants off of Total Drama, the accommodations are going to be much nicer this season. It's actually going to be fun."

Gwen actually smiled at that. Despite her periodic annoyance with her costar, Gwen couldn't deny that Courtney was a badass. "Now that rules. So many of us threatened to sue but you actually had the boobs to go through with it. I gotta say, I'm impressed."

"You should be. My threats are never empty."

Duncan laughed at that. "Yeah right. So you're still planning on ripping my piercings out?"

"And dragging me around by my 'witch nails'?"

Courtney considered it for a moment, but was just as confident as ever. "Only if you deserve it. So stay on my good side, and you won't have to worry."

She'd started saying it facing Duncan, but made eye contact with Gwen too. Gwen stiffened, not sure how to react to that.

Was Courtney actually… messing around with her?

Duncan took it in stride. "Yeah, right. What's next, you need us to start flying?"

"It is not impossible! You just have to work on it." Courtney argued, then stepped forward. "I mean, look at me, I'm happily ignoring five of your major flaws right now."

Yep, there it was. Just when they were having fun, Bossy mc-stick up her butt had to make an appearance. Past experience told her that the longer she let Courtney's bossiness go on, the worse it got. Gwen was not taking that lying down.

"Well that's great, Courtney! I was really worried that you'd mention the bossy attitude, the shrill whiny voice, the inflated ego, or…" Okay, so maybe Gwen should have had more flaws in mind before starting this particular insult. "...or the too nice skin? And… the list obsession! Ha! Yeah!"

She thought she'd saved it, but a snickering Duncan changed her mind. "Wow, you really had to fight for that one. You losing your edge?"

Ohh, how dare he. Gwen was nothing if not edge. She was one of the edgiest people she knew, and she was proud of it. "You wanna bet, bunny boy?"

"Bunny boy?" Duncan repeated, incredulous. He shifted his bags to one hand. "I wrestled an alligator. I burned an arbor. I've been to juvie!"

Gwen sped up a little, completely forgetting Courtney as she deepened her voice to mock Duncan's. "Oh Deeejay, your little snuffly wuffly buddy came hom-ack!" Duncan tried to trip her, but Gwen sprang forward.

"You're dead meat gothy!"

"HA! I'm vegetarian!" With that, Gwen took off, her friend in hot pursuit. With his free hand Duncan grabbed for Gwen a couple of times, attempting to pull down her bags as she juked him. Soon they reached a point where they stopped running and faced each other at a distance, each silently daring the other to make a move.

Gwen stepped one way and Duncan stepped the other, matching smiles lighting up their faces. No way was Duncan getting her down now. She had an unrelenting will and perfect concentration.

Then Gwen heard footsteps and saw Courtney running up behind Duncan. Before she could even remember her current struggle, Duncan went for the kill.

He pounced on Gwen, knocking the wind out of her and trying to pin her to the ground. "Who's a bunny boy now, huh?" His breath was ragged between their running and his laughter, but Duncan was a man on a mission. "C'mon Gwen, say I'm tough! Say it!"

Gwen writhed on the ground, fighting her way out and cackling all the while. Yeah, never. He trapped one of her wrists to the ground and she got the idea to push his neck away with the other hand.

"Ahem."

Duncan's grip on her arm faltered as Courtney stood above them. Immediately, Gwen panicked, remembering how mad Courtney was the last time she saw them wrestling. Gwen pushed Duncan off, who conceded, and started to try and explain.

But, Courtney just offered Gwen her hand. Surprised, Gwen grabbed it, and felt the girl pull her up. Confusion and gratitude fought for control of her expression, and neither seemed to win.

"Aw what, why are you helping her!" Duncan complained, getting up on his own.

Courtney smirked, still holding Gwen's hand. "Because, Gwen said my skin was nice. It's not her fault she didn't count her entries before starting her list. Rookie mistake." She let go of Gwen's hand, then brushed dirt out of Duncan's hair. "Now come on, I'm not waiting in that makeup line behind Lindey again. Move it or lose it, people!"

With that, Courtney picked up her bag again, walking the short distance to the bag check with Duncan behind her. Gwen stood there for a moment, head spinning. Courtney was being nice. Again.

For some reason, a memory of a painting Gwen made long ago flashed to the front of her mind. The canvas showed a sunny day, just like this one. A pretty girl held Gwen's hand in her own. The painting was painfully simple.

She stared at her hand, and slowly brought it to her face, like she was trying to figure out if this was real. Her cheeks were flushed like no tomorrow, and not from the sun.

A glance at her two castmates sent the panic signals firing off in Gwen's brain. No, no, no. This couldn't be happening again- she meant it when she told herself she wasn't going after Duncan, ever. They got along great as friends, and he loved Courtney. Gwen knew that.

But if the feeling had nothing to do with Duncan…

"Yo Gwen, you trying to piss off Courtney for real? Come on!" Duncan's voice snapped her out of it, to her relief, and Gwen scrambled to get her stuff.

She jogged up after them, one panicked thought permeating her mind, before she forced herself to calm down. It didn't matter what she thought she was feeling. Things would stay the way that they were, and that was final. She'd never, ever try to change it.

Never.