"Are you awake yet?" Duncan called up to the tower. "It's noon soon."

Courtney awoke form her sleep, she jumped up and ran to the window. She looked down and saw Duncan with a basket in his hand. Her stomach grumbled, she waved to Duncan and had begun to spoke.

"Good Morning," she smiled, her stomach growled again. "What's in the basket," she asked."

Duncan grinned, "I'll have to come up there and show you."

Courtney was puzzled, "How are you going to get up here? There are no windows, no stairs. It's impossible."

Duncan looked around searching for anything that would bring him closer to Courtney, the love of his life. "Come on princess you have to be resourceful!"

"Princess?" Courtney blushed a little, she had never thought of herself as a princess. She started to twirl her braid of hair, which was quite difficult.

"Wait that's it, Courtney throw down your hair!" exclaimed Duncan.

"Erm… o.k." Courtney said, and with that she threw down her braid. Duncan grabbed on to it and hoisted himself up, which took allot of strength. He finally reached the window; Courtney grabbed his shirt, and lifted him through the window.

Duncan immediately hopped up and hugged Courtney. Courtney wasn't excepting that, but she came back to her senses and hugged him back.

"Here," Duncan said handing the basket he brought to Courtney.

Courtney's POV

I take the basket form him. I can't help but smile. I open it up and inside is the best thing I've ever seen. Well besides him.

"They're mini cakes, and jams, and candies." My face is lit up, and I'm so excited. It's silly I know but I haven't seen anything like this in forever. And o, how sweet is he? He's super thoughtful.

He chuckles a little and says "Yeah, the mini cakes are petifours. I got Ezekiel to run to town and get them for you."

I want to stuff one in my mouth so bad. But, I don't want look like a pig. I move my hand around in the basket, trying to choose one to eat later.

They are so beautifully decorated, the each have their own design. Different colored frostings and patters.

Duncan is looking at me funny, "You can eat one you know"

I quickly look up. Duncan moves closer to me and gestures that we sit on the bed.

He puts his hand in the basket and picks up a petifour. It has silver frosting creating a diamond shape, and around the diamond are stars shapes in yellow frosting.

He hands me the cake, I take a bite. O an explosion of flavor in my mouth. It's so sweet, and fluffy. It's layered; cake, icing, apple jelly, cake, icing, apple jelly, and my goodness the aroma of it.

"You like that princess?" Duncan chuckles.

I smile and laugh, o great. I have icing on my lips. I reach to wipe it off but Duncan grabs my hand.

"I can help with that princess" he says and he kisses me.

I'm stunned I don't know whether to pull away or kiss him back. What am I saying? Why would I push him back? I kiss him back gently, we kiss a few moments longer and what do you know…no more icing.

"Thanks" I say.

"Any time," Duncan says back. His eyes are sparkling, and I can't help but stare into them.

Duncan's POV

I hand her the basket I brought her. She takes it, with her delicate hands. She is smiling.

I watch her open up the basket, her face lights up, she is overwhelmed at the sight.

"They're mini cakes, and jams, and candies." She says, overly excited.

I chuckle and say, "Yeah, the mini cakes are petifours. I got Ezekiel to run to town and get them for you."

She moves her hand around in the basket, she can't decide which on to eat first, it's so cute.

"You can eat one you know" I say. She looks up at me, and I move closer to her. I gesture for us to sit on the bed. I place my hand inside the basket, and select a cake for her. It has a sliver diamond made of icing in the middle, and around it are yellow icing stars. I picked this cake because it represents her to me. She is my diamond in the universe, she goes beyond the stars.

I hand her the cake, she takes a bite. Her face is a glow with joy. She looks like kid that has just walked into a candy shop, for the first time. New aromas flavors, things they have never experienced.

"You like that princess?" I chuckles

She has icing on her lips now, speaking of new experiences. She moves her hand to wipe it off, but I stop her.

"I can help with that Princess," I say. I kiss her.

She looks stunned, Guess I wasn't very suddell . I'm thinking about pulling away, maybe it's to much for her. But she kisses me back. We kiss for a few moments longer.

"Thanks," she says.

"Any time," I reply. I see her staring into my eyes, I can't help but do the same.

Regular POV

Duncan and Courtney are starring into each others eyes. It's been silent now for at least two minutes.

"So, how long have you lived here?" Duncan asked.

"Four years, since I was twelve. I was living in Heathers cottage, until I learned how to sing, then she kicked me out." Courtney replied.

"I see" Duncan said sympathetically.

"So where do you come from? Surely you haven't lived in the woods your whole life."

"Well, I used to live in the Total Drama Mansion, of Total Drama Village. Up until a few days ago, when I left with DJ and Ezekiel, then we found a spot next to the river a few minutes form here, and that's where we call home."

Courtney was astonished. "Why did you leave? You lived in a palace, and had everything you could ever need. And all the petifours you could eat!"

Duncan laughed, "Petifours aren't everything. I left because of stupid palace rules. I had to be wed before my seventeenth birth day. Or else. And I wasn't in love, I want to marry for love." Duncan smiled and took Courtney's hand. Courtney in return laid her head on hid shoulder. They talked until sunset.

"ha ha ha ha," Duncan laughed. "Yeah it….O wait it's sunset I better get out of here huh?" Duncan got up off the bed and headed towards the window.

Courtney was quick to grab his had, and keep him from leaving. "No, Heather won't be back till next week. I'd appreciate it if you would stay!"

Duncan turned around and agreed to stay. They talked until they fell asleep. This was repeated until the next week a little before sunset.

Duncan and Courtney are hugging. Courtney throws her hair out the window.

"See you tomorrow," says Courtney.

"You know it," replies Duncan. Duncan starts to climb down her braid. He reached the ground and ran through the woods to the river, where he caught up with DJ and Ezekiel.

Courtney waited for Heather to come, which wasn't but shortly after Duncan left. Courtney was laying on her bed acting like she had nothing better to do. Heather flew up and through the window. She was empty handed and she seemed like she was up to something.

"Get up Child; did you not see me come in?" Heather said walking towards Courtney. Courtney quickly got up, she wouldn't dare upset Heather.

"I'm sorry Heather." Courtney said.

"Why do you call me Heather?" said Heather, as she grabbed Courtney's braid and examined it.

"Well, because that's your name, isn't it." Courtney asked, very confused. Why was Heather being so nice all of the sudden. She was always so hate full. That's why her name was 'The Evil Witch Heather'.

"That's not what I meant…" Heather said smirking. "I mean why don't you call me mother any more?"

Courtney was completely befuddled!

"Well, because…. I…well… I" Courtney stuttered. She didn't know what to say.

"Well, no more Heather from now on! Just mom, I did raise you ya know."

Courtney's stomach growled, although she had eaten petifours and biscuits and jams. She had not had the substantial meal of bread and meat for a week.

"You didn't bring me any food MOTHER." Courtney said. "What kind of MOTHER starves her child?"

Heather turned Courtney with her shoulders to face her.

"O I would never do such a thing. I didn't bring food because I figured, once you come back to live with me in the cottage… you wouldn't need any food here." Smirked Heather.

Even though Courtney knew Heather couldn't be trusted she still wanted to believe her.

"Really?" Courtney asked.

"Of course really!" Heather took Courtney's hand and flew them down, and out of the tower. They landed on the ground Courtney in front of Heather. They were walking towards the cabin when Courtney felt a huge weight come of her head.

Courtney's POV

I'm walking through the woods, so happy and thrilled. My mother isn't mad at me. She wants me to call her mother, and live with her again.

All of a sudden, my head feels ten times lighter. I'm about to turn around to see what happened when Heather slaps me across my face.

Spit flies out of my mouth, and my mouth is bleeding in one spot. Then I feel Heather's fist drive into my gut.

The air is knocked out of me and I'm on the ground now. I'm gasping for air. O how my stomach hurts. I look up to try and speak, when I see all my hair on the ground.

"You think I didn't know? I figured out you had a boy visiting you, how stupid do you think I am? You're just like your father!" Heather said, then she kicks me in my side as I lay in the dirt.

"Yes you are just like your stupid father!" she kicks me again "He was so ignorant as to give you to me, he hardly begged." She kicked me three more times. O the pain.

Why in the world is she bringing my father into this? I never even knew him! I feel one last hard blow to my head and then all I see is darkness.

Heather POV

I am standing behind Courtney with a pair of scissors in my hand. I cut her head very short, half way between her shoulders and her jaw line.

I can tell she feels the difference. When she turns around to find out what happened I smack her across her face.

Spit flies out of her mouth, and it's bleeding in a few spots. Before she can do anything else I punch her in the gut. She falls on the ground and now she is gasping for air. I am so angry she deceived me, told me there was no boy!

She looks up to see when she notices all of her hair on the ground.

"You think I didn't know? I figured out you had a boy visiting you, how stupid do you think I am? You're just like your father!" I say, then I kick her in her side.

"Yes you are just like your stupid father!" she kicks me again "He was so ignorant as to give you to me, he hardly begged." I kick her three more times.

O my gosh the ignorance, I can't stand her any longer.

She is laying there on the ground I give her one last kick, as hard as I can, in the head! She's out cold now I pick up her hair and head toward the cabin I've kept her in for four years.

Regular POV

Duncan walked up to the tower where Courtney stays, "Let your hair down princess!" he said. He watches a beautiful long braid of brown hair trail down the side of the tower, he hoists himself up it and reaches the window when…..