well, here it is! might i say, holy heck is this chapter something. i took inspiration from my favorite episode of avatar: the last airbender, which is "tales from ba sing se". i love the short narratives, each of them having different tones. my favorite one is actually the cami and graham one. i really hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it :)). this would not be possible if it weren't for your lovely OCs, so thank you SO much!

"Previously on Total Drama Return!" Chris began the show, shots from the previous episode taking over the screen. "Each team had to show us the meaning of being a celebrity, with three challenges in dancing, singing, and acting. Ximena and Joshua lit up the stage for the Screaming Gophers in the dancing competition, while Lauren and Maeve put their hearts on their sleeves for the singing competition."

"It all came down to the acting competition, where Jerry's script totally flunked for the Screaming Gophers, but Brittany and Daniel's off-script argument was enough to take it home for the Killer Bass!" A shot of Daniel kissing Brittany played, followed by Sara and Hannah's shocked reactions.

"At the campfire ceremony, due to Jerry being the reason that the Screaming Gophers losing the challenge, Jerry was sent packing!"

A shot of Chris popped up, with him twirling a set of handcuffs. "How will the campers do this week? Is there romance in the air? Find out this and more on the most dramatic episode yet! Right here on,

TOTAL! DRAMA! RETURN!"

(OPENING INSTRUMENTAL OF THE THEME)

It showed a sped up exterior of the island, just as the camp was being built atop of it, from day to night.

(DEAR MOM AND DAD I'M DOING FINE, YOU GUYS ARE ON MY MIND)

The camera followed Chris as he walked across the dock, his face being dabbed with translucent powder by an anxious looking intern, while another held his Diet Coke, which he sipped with a cocky look on his face. As the powder accumulated in a cloud on his face, he sneezed, spitting the sticky, soda contents onto the poor intern that was serving him his drink.

(YOU ASKED ME WHAT I WANTED TO BE, AND NOW I THINK THE ANSWER IS PLAIN TO SEE)

The camera zoomed in on the beach, where Graham was building a sandcastle, and Cami stepped across it, paying homage to the famous monster movie, 'Godzilla'. She laughed, and Graham rolled his eyes, face-palming in exasperation.

(I WANNA BE FAMOUS)

The camera showed a shot of the center of the camp, with Jayden approaching Sara with a water gun, who was facing away from him. Suddenly, Sara sharply pivoted, revealing herself to be holding a water gun of her own, which she unleashed on Jayden with a maniacal cackle, chasing him off frame.

(I WANNA LIVE CLOSE TO THE SUN)

Brittany sat outside of the Killer Bass cabin, wearing her white bikini, her figure being shaded by Danny, who was holding a large lead canopy over her, shaking his head in annoyance.

(SO PACK YOUR BAGS CAUSE I'VE ALREADY WON)

The camera moved into the Killer Bass cabin on the boy's side, where Daniel laid snoozing on his bed, only to be awaken by Johnathon, who was trying to pick between two polo shirts, each of them slightly different hues of white. Daniel threw his pillow at Johnathon, causing Johnathon to scream.

(EVERYTHING TO PROVE, NOTHING IN MY WAY, I'LL GET THERE ONE DAY)

The camera scooted to the stairs Gopher cabin, where Joshua and Sarah were doing impressions of celebrities, making Lawrence laugh, and then eventually fall backward.

(CAUSE I WANNA BE FAMOUS)

The camera scooted inside of the dining hall, where Ricky and Adam were idly talking, Hannah watching eagerly from the side and nodding her head in approval. Chef watched, clearly fuming in anger as Mariana snuck into the kitchen, adding herbs and spices to whatever gruel he was cooking, prompting her to be chased out of the back door.

(NANANA'NANAANA NANA NANA)

The camera zoomed out to reveal the theatre, where Rosa cheered over Lauren's performance, until she was pushed offstage by Ximena, a spotlight casting onto the female as she began to dramatically monologue, making Rosa cringe at the sight.

(I WANNA BE, I WANNA BE, I WANT TO BE FAMOUS!)

The camera quickly moved into the forest, where Henry was swinging from the vines, Elizabeth latched onto his back, who was laughing hysterically. Henry released the vine, sending them both splashing into the water.

(I WANNA BE, I WANNA BE, I WANT TO BE FAMOUS)

The water got onto Jerry, who was laying on the ground, making sand-angels, all while Nicole watched, maniacally moving her fingers against each other, a murderous grin on her face. Suddenly, Jerry tossed sand into the air, the sky changing from daytime to nighttime.

(WHISTLE)

The camera moved to show Maeve standing in front of the campfire, Albhe desperately trying to woo Maeve. Just as he leaned forward to rest his arm upon her head like an armrest, Maeve stepped backward, causing Albhe to fall flat to the ground.

The camera zoomed out, revealing the campers surrounding the fiery inferno, the words 'Total Drama Return' appearing on the screen.

(START OF SHOW; THE DOCK)

The sun was bright in the sky, and instead of keeping themselves locked up in their cabins, the members of the Screaming Gophers and the Killer Bass decided to seize the day, and hang out around the shoreline. People were clearly enjoying themselves, participating in stereotypical beach games, such as a rowdy round of 'Chicken Fight in the water. Cami was atop of Graham's shoulders, and Elizabeth on Henry's.

On the shore, Adam and Ricky seemed to be having a rather nice discussion, which Lauren watched from her spot beside Sara and Hannah. "Man, I cannot wait to merge." Lauren admitted, shifting so she was sitting on her knees. "I love the Killer Bass, but it is really nice to see everyone talking to one another."

Hannah nodded in correspondence to what Lauren had said, twirling her pencil in elaborate movements. "I know, it will be fun to see the interactions between two members of an OTP that are on separate teams right now."

Sara, becoming annoyed with the visual of the pencil dancing in the air, snatched the writing utensil from Hannah, and tossed it to the side. Hannah gasped, running after it with her arms outstretched. "I need this to log the interactions between this season's ships!"

The pencil landed in front of Mariana, Sarah, Brittany, Ximena, and Maeve, who were all sitting in a circle together. "So, you're telling me that kiss between you and Daniel was unscripted?" Sarah asked Brittany with interest, glancing over her shoulder to where the boys were playing soccer.

"Yeah, it was to add melodrama. There is nothing going on between us, though." Brittany smirked as she observed the heat of the soccer game, the ball moving from Johnathon over to Daniel. "How about you guys? Are there any romances over on the Screaming Gophers?"

Ximena tossed a wave over her shoulder, adjusting so she was laying on the ground, propped up by her forearms. "Elizabeth and Henry have some sparks flying, as do Cami and Graham. But, all four of them are so clueless, I doubt they even realize what they are feeling." A mysterious smirk drew over her face as she watched Albhe, who blatantly picked up the soccer ball to Joshua's protests.

"I think Albhe is aesthetically pleasing, he really did catch my eye during that *NSYNC dance." Ximena's words emitted a reaction from Maeve, which consisted over her looking up from her book.

(CONFESSIONAL CAM)

"Shockingly, no one has caught onto the fact that Albhe and I are a thing." Maeve informed the viewers at home, her arms folding over her chest. "I do not wish for my fellow contestants to know, as Albhe will become a target. Targets are weakness, and I am not about being weak."

(END OF CONFESSIONAL CAMS)

"I only have two loves, and they are my daughter, Danielle, and my fiance." Sarah spoke, her voice taking on a softer tone when speaking of her child. "I remember how much of a tribulation it was for me to decide if be on this show or not, but it was Danielle who convinced me. She said it would be funny for her to see her mommy on TV."

Mariana opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off by the sound of Henry's yelling. "Albhe! You can't pick up the ball! It's soccer, you dumbass!" The girls turned to look at the source of the noise, only to see Albhe clutching the ball close to his bare chest. "HEY, my lack of athleticism has nothing to do with my lack of intelligence, thank you."

Larry stepped between the two, hoping to stop the confrontation. "G-Guys, relax! Now, Albhe knows, and we can continue playing the game." He optimistically interjected, just as Chris snatched the ball from them. "I don't think so! We have a challenge to get to, ladies and gentleman! So, go ahead and get changed, and be back here in five minutes!"

(FIVE MINUTES LATER)

"Campers, this challenge is going to be very different than what you have experienced so far!" Chris denounced, Joshua and Graham exchanging nervous glances at the news. "I will not be stepping in until the end, and I will only be stepping in to announce the winners!"

"This next challenge is based around the dynamic duo, Katie and Sadie. Now, we are fully aware that the two were eliminated at two different times, but you can't have one without the other! After Total Drama, the two attended the same university, where they got the same major, got a job at the same magazine, and went on to fall in love with twins! They are now sister-in-laws."

Hannah clasped her hands together, emitting a pleased sound at the news. "How cute!" She exclaimed, making Sara roll her eyes. Chris cleared his throat, pushing forward. "This challenge will be focused on friendship! Based on the interactions between you campers throughout the competition so far, we have paired you together, and you will be sent to a specified area, and you will have to spend the day with each other, without leaving your specified area! Myself and the producers will be watching everyone, and whoever entertains us the most will win this challenge for their team!"

"So, this challenge essentially is reliant on how much we can be friendly with each other? Great, I lose." Maeve mumbled, shaking her head.

Chris produced a piece of paper from his pocket. "For the Killer Bass, the pairs will be the following: Jay and Sara, Johnathon and Hannah, Daniel and Brittany, Adam and Lauren, and Maeve and Albhe! For the Screaming Gophers, the pairs are as follows: Elizabeth and Henry, Cami and Graham, Ricky and Larry, Joshua and Ximena, and Sarah and Mariana!"

(CONFESSIONAL CAM)

Sara appeared outraged, her fists clenching in anger. "Why do I have to be paired with Jay!? I already know, he's going to pull something weird. Just wait."

(CONFESSIONAL CAMS)

"I can't wait to be paired up with Graham!" Cami clapped her hands together, the prospect of being together with Graham for several hours exciting to her. "He's my best friend in the competition!"

(CONFESSIONAL CAM)

"Why the vocal commoner!?" Johnathon yelled, pointed his hands to the sky in agony. "Am I being punished?! Can I pay my way out of the punishment?!" He removed his wallet, thrusting it to the sky. "Hey, you up there, take it all!"

(END OF CONFESSIONAL CAMS)

Chris sneered as the campers walked off, and he turned to face the camera. "What will this challenge bring to our favorite group of teens? Don't go away, we will be right back!"

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

(LOCATION: THE CAMPFIRE. PAIR: HENRY AND ELIZABETH)

"Do you know how to build a fire, Henry?" Elizabeth inquired, poking at the logs with a long stick. Henry laid down on the ground, shaking his head as he peered up at the blue sky. "I'm actually not the biggest fan of fire." He kept his answer short, which Elizabeth took note of. Waddling beside him, she sat down beside him, tipping her head as she peered at his face.

"May I ask why?" Elizabeth wasn't a nosy person. Whenever she requested something personal of people, it wasn't for her own gain, rather she wanted to help the other person to the best of her ability. Her altruism spoke measures about the type of person she was.

Henry paused, looking up to the girl before him. He had never met someone so understanding of him, and willing to accept him because of it. "I almost died when I was 12, and fire was involved." He kept his response vague once again, as he wasn't the greatest with elaborations.

Elizabeth bit the inside of her cheek, formulating her words within her head before she said them. "W-Well, it's okay to be scared! Fear doesn't mean we have failed, it just means we have evolved. Plus, your fear doesn't make y-you a bad player. To be honest, you are the most athletic person on this island, and you have p-played a good game so far."

Henry leaned up so he was in a sitting position, facing her while keeping his eyes on her face. Elizabeth smiled, adjusting her sailor's hat atop her head. "I-I have traveled around the world, met very interesting people, and seen b-beautiful places. But, no one compares to the people I have met here."

Henry's eyes grew wide as he observed her rise to her feet, as she seemed to have heard something. How could someone so kind exist in a world like this? It almost made him believe in angels, for there was no possible way that a girl was motivated by doing good for others, instead of herself.

Selfishness was something every human had, at least in Henry's opinion, but Elizabeth challenged that theory. "H-Henry! There's a baby bird stuck in this tree, and I can't reach him!" Elizabeth snapped him out of his thoughts, a small, fond grin taking over his features at the sight of Elizabeth jumping up and down, trying to reach the baby bird.

In a few short strides, Henry was behind her, lifting her up by the waist to reach the branch. Elizabeth extended her hands, gingerly cupping the small bird in her palms. "O-Okay, you can let me down." She articulated, her feet making small kicking movements in the air until they touched the ground.

"What are you gonna do with the bird?" Henry asked, sticking his hands in his pockets. Elizabeth looked down, the bird making small chirping noises within her palms. "W-Well, he is took weak to fly right now. I-I want to raise him, until he has the strength to fly! H-He can be the mascot for the Screaming Gophers!"

Elizabeth sat down on one of the stumps, furrowing her brow in thought. "What if we named him Tweetie, o-or something else that's cute for a bird?" She fished through possible name ideas, Henry approaching Elizabeth and standing beside her. "How about Edgar Allan Crow?" He suggested, hopeful that he got the pun right. Edgar Allan Poe had been a writer he heard about in school at one time.

Elizabeth's grin broadened as she nodded her head, a giggle escaping her. "Edgar Allan Crow is perfect!"

Henry chuckled, looking from the bird, and then to Elizabeth. Only she could make a dumb bird name sound so correct.

(LOCATION: THE BEACH. PAIR: JAY AND SARA)

Tension was in the air between the two, so much so that Sara was faced away from the male, idly occupying herself with a makeshift sandcastle, that didn't exactly hold together correctly due to the imbalanced ratio between sand and water.

"So, do you like the movies?" Jay asked after a few moments of sullen silence, to which Sara replied with a short, "No."

Jay tapped his foot, puffing his cheeks full of air and expelling the air around him. "Do you like shopping?"

Sara continued to pat the sand into what appeared to be a pile, her response the same as the last. "No."

"Then what do you like?" Jay pressed, meandering over to her and sitting in front of her sand castle. He jumped as Sara's fists plunged into the sand, sending sparse grains flying around them. "I would like it if you would stop pestering me!" She snapped, turning so her back was facing him.

Jay didn't bother walking to the other side of Sara, instead he remained seated, staring at the back of her head. "The point of this challenge is to get to know each other and be friendly with one another." Jay retorted, narrowing his eyes at her.

Sara frowned, sighing reluctantly as she turned to face him again. "Listen, I'm not all that mean. Sure, I can be hot-headed, and bossy, and demanding at times, but I'm a chill person. I actually like quite a few people on our team."

"Oh, yeah?" Jay challenged, folding his arms over his chest. "Who do you like on the Killer Bass?"

Sara noted the shift in his voice from curiosity to skepticism, and met his cocky look with narrowed eyes. "I happen to enjoy the company of Hannah, as of the last challenge, when she isn't ranting about Tumblr or whatever anime she watches. Also, Lauren is pretty tolerable."

Jay chuckled, moving his fingers through his hair. "I guess I was wrong, the Grinch's heart has grown three sizes due to the Killer Bass."

Sara scoffed, grabbing the male by his collar. "Oh, yeah?! I know you aren't some nice guy, Jay." She stood back, smirking at him. "Yeah, Larry told me about the way you are at home. You are manipulative, a prankster, and super sly. Why haven't you shown that off yet?"

Jay frowned, averting his gaze to the pile of sand that separated them. "Haven't really had the reason to, more or less waiting for the merge. Not to rag on our team, but the more kind-hearted ones are over on the Screaming Gophers. Everyone on the Killer Bass would notice my gung-ho attitude in two seconds flat."

Sara contemplated her options for a moment, before holding her hand out to him. "Then let's be an alliance. I can help us get to the merge." She offered up, her gaze moving from her hand, to him. "Well?"

Jay slapped his palm against Sara's, shaking her hand. "Well, well, well, Saraphina, I am glad you have finally taken note of my expertise! I know it will be only a matter of time before you fall in love with me!"

Sara forced a laugh, rapidly shaking her head. "Oh, I doubt that." The camera panned out to show that behind her back, she had her fingers crossed.

(LOCATION: DINING HALL. PAIR: XIMENA AND JOSHUA)

"I simply do not understand the use of this challenge. It gives me less time to be the star!" Ximena melodramatically rose to her feet, pacing around the dining hall. Joshua, who was clearly exasperated with Ximena's narcissism, flopped his head down on the table, covering it with his forearms.

"I think you are reading into it too much, Ximena." Joshua addressed the female, not bothering to lift his head. "Plus, we're all stars here. All of the contestants pretty much create a constellation."

Ximena rejected his words with a roll of her eyes, her hand habitually moving to her side. "Oh, silly me. I was about to reach into my pocket and remove my phone. I do have 2.5 million Instagram followers." She bragged, flipping her healthy locks. "Ugh, my hair feels so disgusting. I need a spa day."

"Maybe you'll get one as a reward?" Joshua continued to counter Ximena's words with optimistic responses, which Ximena went out of her way to reject, favoring her own self-pity over the positive idealism of Joshua. "Given that our team wins! Gosh, some of us happen to be so incompetent. They are choosing friendships instead of playing the game."

Joshua didn't offer a reply, instead he lifted his head, his head resting on his palm, as he listened to her continue on. "The Killer Bass are interesting because they play a game, and we are boring because we sit around and hold hands." She looked down at her hands, frowning at the state of her cuticles. "Oh, how sad. My nails are also disgusting. My life is so hard!"

A ring of amused laughter escaped Joshua as he gaped at her in disbelief, swiveling in his seat to face her. "Are you really saying that your life is hard? With your 2.5 million Instagram followers, and your TV show, and loving parents who helped you get that role on your show?" He asked rhetorically, hoping she would be intelligent enough not to provide an answer.

"Well, Joshua-" She began to reply, but Joshua cut her off. "I am not trying to deny the fact that your life is hard, but please realize that everyone has struggles in their life. I am not going to invalidate your struggles if you would just realize how fortunate you are."

Ximena was at a loss for words as she stared at Joshua, her face a mix of anger, pity, and sadness. "Well, what do YOU know about struggle? I'm sure your parents paid for you to come here."

Joshua chuckled sadly, looking down at his feet. "Au contraire, my parents are dead. It's just my little brother, Miles, and I. I'm doing this for him, and I'm not afraid to do anything to be sure that he gets the future he deserves, whether it may be betraying a friend, or doing something shady. I'm doing this competition so I can be assured that he will be okay."

Ximena appeared guilty, her face falling as she scampered off to the kitchen, fishing around in the large freezer for a moment before plucking out a large pint of ice cream, and a spoon from what she hoped to be the clean side of the dishes. Setting it down in front of him, she raised her brows expectantly. "It isn't vegan, so I can't eat it, but I always enjoy something sweet when I'm down. It's also an apology. I have a great life, one that I am super fortunate to have, and one that people long for. I should realize that I don't need to flash it around like a new Rolex."

Joshua removed the lid to the ice cream, digging the spoon in and savoring the sweet flavor. "It's no problem! I don't need an apology." He smiled, flicking some ice-cream at her. "I didn't say that stuff because I was angry, rather I just wanted you to realize the lesson I was trying to give you. It was blunt, sure, but a lot of the time blunt honesty is what people need."

Ximena gasped, chortling as she brushed ice cream off of her. "You know, Joshua, you were right about all of us being stars, and I think you are one of the brightest this sky has to offer."

He feigned shock, tossing his hand in hopes of dismissing the subject. "Oh, stop you." He set the ice-cream to the side, rising to his feet. "How about we fish around the kitchen, and you can show me a vegan recipe, or something like that?"

Ximena squealed, excitedly grabbing his hand and dragging him off to the kitchen. "It's a deal!"

(LOCATION: THE CAVE. PAIR: JOHNATHON AND HANNAH)

Johnathon could not have been more angry in that moment. He figured he would be paired with Brittany, given their friendship that had blossomed during the competition, but alas, he was paired with the girl that he had vocalized his hatred for since the beginning. Johnathon couldn't say he blamed Chris, but a couple of hours with the vocal commoner made him want to drop out of the competition all-together.

"That is why I think that Ouran High School Host Club is one of the finer examples of a reverse harem done right. Haruhi is a female protagonist that does not care about her gender, and she does not get all blushy whenever a male counterpart flirts with her. She is the perfect example of how the genre can be portrayed in a more realistic light." Hannah dictated, appearing quite satisfied with what she came up with.

"What are you even talking about half of the time?!" Johnathon yelled, frantically facing her with wide eyes. "You say words I do not understand, and I dine with the English elite! It is rather irritating!"

Hannah tipped her head, her lips forming into an 'O'. "Oh, you do not understand because you do not watch anime. Classic, a white, cisgendered male does not indulge in what Japan has to offer, I cannot say that I am surprised."

Johanthon looked longingly at the cave wall, half-considering just smashing his head and purposefully giving himself a concussion.

(CONFESSIONAL CAM)

"I knew that the money I had would be of little influence to her, and I also knew that this challenge was riding on the idea of us getting along. Plus, if she grew to like me, I could use her to vote off those I want out of the competition." Johnathon hypothesized while rubbing his chin. "Well, I must swallow my pride and do what I need to do to win this competition."

(END OF CONFESSIONAL CAMS)

"W...What even is Ouran High School Host Club?" Johnathon uttered, tapping his fingers against the stone floor below him. Hannah clapped her hands, waving them about as she prepared to indulge him in the details of this plot. "It is a romance anime about a girl named Haruhi, and her adventures as she transfers to a school for the wealthy and elite!"

Now, though Johnathon hated to admit it, the idea intrigued him. A commoner in a wealthy school? How taboo! "Yes, and what else?" He pried, trying to appear bored, though he wished to know more about the plot.

"Well, she gets involved in a Host Club, where girls are able to make appointments to spend time with a guy! Think of an escort service for flirting. Haruhi becomes debted to the club after she breaks a vase, and she is forced to join the club as a host! But, the hosts think Haruhi is a male! Slowly but surely, they realize her true gender, but she must masquerade her gender to the customers if she is to pay off her debt."

Johnathon straightened his posture, appearing nonchalant with the action. In reality, the plot had perked him up quite a bit. "I understand why the males did it. If a commoner were to break a vase of mine, they would be in debt to me."

Hannah pointed at him, her eyes growing wide. "You remind me of Tamaki! The show's main protagonist, and the show's handsome prince type!" She whipped out her script, flipping through a few pages. "Tamaki is a rich, social type who happens to be the club's leader. Slowly, through each episode, he comes to realize that he is in love with Haruhi!"

"T-They get together, right?" Johnathon realized the nature of his voice, clearing his throat in hopes that she would pass it off as nothing. Hannah nodded her head, though suddenly she furrowed her brows. "Well, it has not gotten a season 2 in the anime, but in the manga they get married!"

"I would fund this project myself." Johnathon informed Hannah, who gripped his shoulders with wide eyes. "Would you fund a season 2 of Ouran High School Host Club?!"

Johnathon rolled his eyes, but nodded his head. She pulled away, cheering while clapping her hands. "Goodie! Let me tell you about another anime I love, Neon Genesis Evangelion!"

Johnathon looked to the wall again, knowing that despite his mild interest, that the concussion option still stood.

(LOCATION: BOY'S SIDE OF THE GOPHER CABIN. PAIR: RICKY AND LARRY)

Ricky, having always been obsessed with cleanliness, decided to use the time given in the boy's side of the Gopher cabin to clean up. Some of the guys on his team were not the cleanest of people, and Ricky was too afraid of direct confrontation to say anything to them. So, he suffered in silence, which was why he was so grateful to be given the location he was.

"I am so glad I am finally able to clean this pigsty, and that I found cleaning supplies in the communal bathroom closet." Ricky opened the window, disposing of a large pile of dust that he had gathered on a dustpan. "So, not only do we get to bond, but we get to make this place more homely in the process!"

Larry scrubbed a window with a paper towel, smiling at the prospect of the cabin being clean. "Y-Yeah, this is really fun. I help out around the house all the time!"

Ricky hummed in content, taking his broom back to the ground. "So, tell me about yourself, Larry. We haven't really had much time to sit down and talk to one another, given the competition and everything."

Larry tapped the nozzle of his Clorox against his chin, before he spritzed one dirty window with the blue liquid, taking a paper towel to it. "Well, I love art. I-I have won a lot of awards in drawing, and I am actually sort of a girl magnet back home. I-I'm grateful that the girls here aren't interested in me."

Ricky laughed, gathering some dust from beneath one set of bunks and sweeping it into the dustpan. "I live in Las Vegas with my mom. She works really hard, and taught me how to cook, clean, and be an overall swell guy. At school, I am everyone's best friend, and I play baseball."

Larry looked over his shoulder, raising his eyebrows mysteriously at Ricky. "D-Do you have a special someone at home?"

"Down, boy!" Ricky sat down on his bed, releasing his long, black locks from his bun, and re-tying it so locks of hair weren't falling in his face. "I do not, currently, but I do have my eyes on someone."

"I-It's Adam." Larry finished for Ricky, stopping his own cleaning to sit against the wall, spreading his legs out in front of him. "Why don't you go for it?"

Ricky shrugged his shoulders, reaching down in his suitcase below him, and pulling out a separate box, which was filled with treats. Tossing a bag of Skittles to Larry, Ricky dug into a chocolate bar. "It's complicated. I'm attracted to Adam, sure, but I don't really know how to go about confessing that to him. When I was 14, I told a guy I had a crush on him, and he went around and told everyone. Sort of turns me off to confessions, you know?"

Larry threw a Skittle at Ricky, which hit him atop the head. Ricky confusedly stared at Larry, rubbing the place where the Skittle had made impact. "Ricky, i-if you conceal your emotions, y-you will forever be haunted by what could have been!"

"You had to throw a Skittle at me to tell me that?" Ricky chuckled, shaking his head, and rising to his feet. "You are something else, Larry. I'm glad we have you over here on the Gophers instead of Jay."

"Y-You don't have to tell me that twice." Larry began to scrub the windows again, pausing to look over his shoulder at Ricky, who was sweeping the floor with a look of placid determination on his face. Larry realized in that moment, that Ricky reminded him of the father he lost so long ago.

(LOCATION: BOATHOUSE. PAIR: BRITTANY AND DANIEL.)

"Never have I ever had a job." Brittany admitted, a groan following from Daniel, who was sitting across from her. "Boring! I work practically every day of my life. You have to step your game up, Blondie."

Luckily for Brittany and Daniel, the two could stand each other's company. Brittany knew that passing time with Daniel wouldn't be equivalent to being tortured, and Daniel felt the same way. Brittany had been the one to suggest playing 'Never Have I Ever', much to Daniel's dismay. Brittany coerced him into it, knowing that the game was much more fun when the players were intoxicated, but she would settle with happily sober in a boathouse.

"Okay, give me your best shot, Daniel." Brittany, appearing rather confident, used her index finger to gesture at him to come forward. "Don't hold back, I am an open book."

Daniel was glad to accept her challenge. "Fine. Never have I ever passed out at a party." He stared Brittany down as she nodded her head, her face changing from one of challenge to one of pleasure.

"Oh God, this is the funniest story. I went to this youth group party that wasn't serving alcohol, and I spiked the punch. Let's just say, those teens were studying more than their Bibles." She laughed, Daniel meeting her delight of the situation with a look of both horror and joint-amusement.

"You are wicked." He said through chuckles, gingerly punching her arm. "Your parents probably killed you for that, right?"

Brittany's smile suddenly dropped, her blue eyes clouding with emotion. "Uh, I don't live with my parents. They are both diplomats, and live in France. I live with my aunt in Los Angeles." The grin was back, and even brighter than before. "But during the summers, I get to have beautiful vacations to France!"

"You only get to see your parents during the summer? That must suck." Daniel began to further delve into the matter, something that Brittany clearly didn't enjoy. "Hey, Pinocchio? I didn't realize your nose grew three sizes, because it's in my business. Let's stop playing, Ask Brittany Personal Questions, and let's play Never Have I Ever." Brittany snapped. "Never have I ever seen fireworks."

"You've NEVER seen fireworks!?" Daniel leaned forward, shocked at the epiphany that the rich didn't have it all under control. "Not even at Fourth of July?"

Brittany shook her head, her lips puckering as if she had tasted something sour. "I really want to, okay? Apparently, since things aren't saucy enough for you, I will get down to the real shit. Never have I ever been in love."

This stopped Daniel's positive attitude, his laughs and quips to Brittany halting before him. "Her name was Rachel." Daniel began, which Brittany found to be surprising. "Daniel, you don't have to-"

"She was my friend, and she was sociable, and beautiful, and life enjoys those like that. She thrived, and I fell. It's sort of why I didn't think of you as a formidable player at first, because she turned to people like you to be friends with, instead of me. It was dumb of me to think that."

Brittany cringed, mildly due to the fact that she had no idea how to express her sympathy to people, nor was she used to people fessing up their personal mumbo-jumbo to her. "Hey, how about we take that nap?"

Daniel feverishly nodded in agreement, laying down so he was facing away from Brittany, sprawling his limbs out so he could be comfortable. Brittany laid her back to him, instead curling up into a compact ball. "You aren't a bad guy, Daniel." Brittany sympathized after a few moments. "You're...okay."

"Ditto to you." Daniel glanced over his shoulder at her, parting his jaws so a loud yawn could expel from his lips. "Night, Blondie."

Brittany yawned shortly after him, closing her eyes. "Night, Pinocchio."

(LOCATION: GIRL'S SIDE OF THE GOPHER CABIN. PAIR: SARAH AND MARIANA)

"I think Ricky and Larry just finished their cleaning, because I can no longer hear Ricky giving Larry cleaning tips." Mariana joked to Sarah, who was sitting on her bed and looking down at her feet, clearly deep in thought. "Hey, Sarah? Are you okay?" Mariana's maternal side instantly took over as she took a seat beside Sarah.

"I don't know, I am just thinking about Danielle. I can't help but to feel guilty, because I just left her to play in this game. I know the guilt is unjustified, but I feel like part of me is missing because I don't have Danielle around." Sarah admitted. Beams of orange sunlight poured into the room, illuminating different shadows around the cabin, which was in much better condition due to Mariana's dexterity for cleaning.

"You being in this competition does not make you a bad mother, Sarah. Do not even think that for a second." Mariana chastised Sarah, taking her friend's hand and squeezing it. "You are just being a mother right now. You are holding a type of longingness that is common for mothers when they are aware from their children for long periods of time."

Sarah leaned her head on Mariana's shoulder, expelling a loud sigh from her lips. "Mariana, you are the first true friend I have ever made. I am so used to disposing of people and moving through life as if it were a giant chess game, but your loving nature has made me realize the importance of being there for those around me, and I thank you for that."

Mariana was not used to being thanked. Her maternal nature was habitual for her, and for some it was annoying, while others took it in. It was different with Sarah, as Mariana was being maternal to someone who was actually a maternal figurehead in someone's life.

"You make me want to be a better mother, Mariana." Sarah affirmed, the sentence making tears move into Mariana's eyes. Mariana backed away, wiping her eyes with an awkward chuckle. "Stop it! You are going to make me cry!" Mariana protested, observing Sarah as she rose to her feet.

"No, it's true! You are so warm, and kind, and caring, and you are such a light in my life. I have never had a best friend before, and I am so glad it's you. I was predisposed to entering this game and using people left and right, but you challenged my beliefs by being kind and welcoming to me," Sarah stepped forward, hugging the female close. "I thought those proverbs about kindness being the way to succeed at life were so dumb, but you made me realize the truth in them, and I thank you for that."

Mariana wrapped her arms around Sarah, hugging the female close, being careful not to squeeze hard enough that Sarah's glasses would smush against her face. "Thank you, Sarah, thank you so much."

"No, Mariana. Thank you."

(LOCATION: CLIFFSIDE. PAIR: MAEVE AND ALBHE)

Maeve regarded Albhe with lethargy as he stood at the cliffside, his hands propped on his hips, as he inhaled deeply. "You know, nature is so damn cool! Like, this cliff was just MADE, and now it's HERE." He sat down, his legs swinging over the edge. Glancing over his shoulder at Maeve, who was still reading, he groaned in annoyance. "Hey, Baby Bottle Pop, you aren't enjoying this beautiful sunset, but most of all, you aren't enjoying the more beautiful Albhe!"

Maeve did not allow her gaze to waver from the pages of Crime and Punishment, one of her favorite books that she had packed with her. "I do not see the point to this challenge. Being kind is something most of these people on a daily basis, so why make a so-called 'challenge' out of it?"

Tipping his head back, Albhe meandered back to Maeve, placing his hand on her book and setting it down in front of her. "My chocolate drop, I do not understand you. One moment, you are so frigid that you might as well be polar, and another moment you are crawling to me. Why are you like that?"

Maeve rolled her eyes, taking her book and lightly hitting him with it. "I do not need to justify myself to you."

"ALSO, I have never seen you smile!" Albhe pushed her cheeks upward so her lips would curl into a forced grin. "You have dimples, I am sure that your smile would be beautiful!"

"Gosh, just let go of me! I know that after you and I get voted off, you will go back to your life of sleeping with girls and flirting with the cameras, and I will go off and graduate to be top of my class." Maeve pulled away from him, disregarding the hurt look on Albhe's face.

"You really are clueless, Maeve. Have you seen me flirt with anyone else since we kissed? I'll answer that, and it's a no. I've never really felt for anyone, except for one person," he paused, sitting in front of Maeve. "You don't have to say anything, just listen."

Maeve swallowed her pride, allowing herself to listen to him. "I was abused pretty much my entire life by my mom, who was more into my modeling career than I was." Albhe began, taking her hand and doodling small designs on her palm with his own finger. "I ran away to my friend, Shiloh, when I was 15. He took me in, and I fell in love with him. I kissed him, and he rejected me. Since then, I have been confused about every aspect of myself, from my sexuality, to my personality, to what I want to do with my life. I was raised on indulging in sin, instead of doing the right thing. When I met you, I thought you were going to just be another notch on my belt, but I-I actually really enjoy being around you. I'm scared though, Maeve."

As he spoke, Maeve could see the tears forming at the corners of his eyes. Every aspect of his words were genuine. "...It is okay to be confused and scared, Albhe." She spoke, her voice as monotonous as it always was, though her grip was strong on his hand. "Confusion just means you have to continue asking questions. It is okay to not have all of the answers right now. It makes life more eventful if we are confused."

In that moment, Maeve was more beautiful than she ever had been. Sure, he liked her feisty moments, but her words were soft.

"My brother, Dylan said that. He was two years older than me, and he was the most self-assured person I have ever met. He was so happy with life." Maeve informed Albhe, her grip growing in intensity, so much that her skin took on a different hue around the knuckles due to the pressure she exerted. "I-I thought he was happy. He didn't tell anyone about how people made fun of him in school, and the small group of friends he brought around the house were his only friends.

"He put his heart out for everyone around him, and they just crushed him day after day. When I was 13, I came home from school, and I found my parents crying. Dylan had killed himself when he got home." Maeve trembled, hanging her head as tears began to pour down her face. "H-He was so proud of life, and so willing to take it all in. How could someone so good die in such a bad way? It's why I'm so cold, and bitter, because there is no point being warm in a world that just sucks that all away."

Albhe leveled his gaze with her shaking figure, his arms gathering around her as he took her in his lap, cradling her and holding her close as she cried. "I am so sorry, Maeve. You are so incredible, you know that right? You are a leader, and you are intelligent, and beautiful, and deserving of everything that comes to you."

Maeve wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand, peering up at Albhe as he set her down, standing at the edge of the cliff. "Maeve Pierpont, I swear by my beautiful face that I will be there for you every step of the way!" He faced away from her, his hands resting on her hips. "A fair maiden should not be abandoned in a state of suffering!"

How the hell had Maeve allowed herself to get tangled up with such a doofus? Instead of thinking negatively, Maeve watched the male as he posed against the canvas of the pastel sky, his hands outstretched before him.

For the first time since the competition started, Maeve's lips naturally curled upward, her beautiful, straight set of teeth exposing themselves into a beautiful grin, her dimples exposing themselves, and her freckles seeming much more vibrant, and Albhe didn't turn in time to see it.

But, that was okay, there would be other smiles.

(LOCATION: DOCK. PAIR: CAMI AND GRAHAM)

The sun had started to set, the sky painted with beautiful pastel oranges, pinks, and purples. "Holy heck, look at that sky! That is a sky you only get pictures of, my friend." Cami thrusted her hand to the sky, as if she could touch it. She formed her right and left index and middle fingers into a small square shape. "Click!" She vocalized, letting her hands fall to her sides.

"What are you even doing?" Graham had opted to lay down on the dock, instead of look out into the horizon. The sky must have been nice, since Cami was raging about it, but he didn't see the allure of getting caught up in the sky.

"I'm taking a mental picture! You take mental pictures of things that you find to be beautiful, or have a lot of meaning to you. That way, you will never forget them!" Cami elaborated, her deep green eyes sparkling in glee. Cami surveyed Graham for a moment, reaching down and taking his hand, trying her hardest to pull him up.

"Come on, you bum! Take a picture of the sky!" She demanded with mock-authority, tugging desperately at Graham's arm. Graham exhaled with exhaustion, Cami's never-ending ebullience physically draining him. "Tell me, what have you taken mental pictures of, Cami?"

Cami released Graham's arm, allowing him to stand on his own accord. "Well, a whole ton of things! I take mental pictures of my two older brothers, my friends, and my school life. I went on a trip to the zoo once, and I saw this HUGE elephant. That is one of my favorite mental pictures."

Graham stood, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "My life doesn't really seem worth having snapshots over." Graham's downright nihilistic personality was exhausting to most, but Cami worked with him, hoping for him to be happy. Cami tugged on his arm, pointing at the sun, which licked the horizon and cast a efflorescent gleam across the top of the water.

"There, this will be your first mental picture. The sunset in which you hung out with me, and learned about mental pictures." She rested her hands on her hips, smiling with pride. "I want to see you make the camera!"

Graham budged after a few moments, replicating the formation Cami's hands were in. "Now, click!" Cami persisted, beaming as Graham emitted a small, barely audible, "click".

"Life is too beautiful to allow to just pass by! Why sit back and let memories fade away, when you can have pictures of them forever?" Cami magnified, raising her shoulders in a hopeful shrug, looking out to the horizon again. Graham took the way her face lit up when it grinned, and how her eyes twinkled when she spoke of life. How could someone see life as confidently as she did? He didn't understand how she could take life all in without qualms, and part of him envied the quality, while another part of it admired her all the more for it.

"You take mental pictures of things that you find to be beautiful, or have a lot of meaning to you. That way, you will never forget them!" Cami's words rang in Graham's head, the thought of them bringing a enamored smirk to his face.

Raising his hands up again, he formed the small square he created to frame around Cami's face. He didn't want to forget this moment with her. Graham wanted to remember how beautiful Cami was when she smiled, and how that grin challenged him to be a better man.

"Click."

(LOCATION: KILLER BASS CABIN STEPS. PAIR: LAUREN AND ADAM)

"This challenge has to be almost over by now." Lauren squinted her gaze as the intense rays of the sun nearly blinded her. "Do you think the Killer Bass provided enough emotional material to win this challenge?"

Adam leaned against the left railing, stretching his legs so they laid across Lauren's lap. "Beats me, I don't see anyone on our team being the overly lovey type. Now, if this were a Fight Club type of deal, we would win. Our team would beat a bunch of people up, and then be cool enough to never bring it up."

Lauren cackled at the joke, nodding in agreement. "Stone cold. But, nothing can scare me more than when I came out." A shiver went down her spine at the memory. "I was petrified. But, I put everything out there, and told my parents they could take it or leave it. Luckily for me, my parents are super understanding, and they accepted me. Sure, they were shocked at first, as most parents are, but I am so grateful to be around loving, open-minded people."

Adam appeared uncomfortable, his position shifting to accommodate to the feeling of nervousness that washed over him. "My family is super religious. I sort of hate it. They close off everything they view as different, and want to live in a black-and-white world, with no vibrancy or anything."

Lauren tipped her head, resting her hand on the male's shoulder. "Sorry, dude." She leaned back, idly pretending that she was strumming her guitar.

"Hey, Lauren?" Adam started, his voice softer in tone. "Penny for your thoughts?"

Part of Lauren knew what was going to happen next, but it wasn't her business to pry into the matter. "No penny required. What's up, Adam?"

"How did you know when to come out? Was it something you just decided, or did someone convince you?' Adam questioned, pulling his knees halfway to his chest. Lauren paused, smiling softly as she remembered back to the day she came out to her family. "I just woke up, and decided that my life would be better if I started becoming honest with myself and who I am. Boy, was I right."

Adam took her words in, his face burying within his knees. "Before this show, I read your story and I considered you to be such an inspiration, because you are so brashly unapologetic for being you, and I envy you for being able to do so. You are an icon for the LGBT youth, Lauren, and I admire you so much!" Adam chuckled, still in awe over the fact that he had managed to make friends with a pop star.

"I-I take solace in you coming out...Because I'm gay." Those three words caused monumental weights to be lifted from his shoulders, a physical sigh escaping him at the newfound tranquility he found. "I found out when I was 14, and I've never been able to come out to anyone, well except for you...And the viewers."

Lauren smiled, her face lighting up with pure, unadulterated pride at Adam's confession. "That was really brave of you, Adam, and I am honored to be the first person you came out to."

Adam relaxed, looking out to the sunset. "Also, I-I think I have a crush on someone on the island. But, he's on the opposite team-"

"It's Ricky." Lauren cut Adam off, smirking wickedly at him. "Hannah is right, she does smell out ships hella quick.'

Adam was about to speak to Lauren, possibly offer a witty comeback, when Chris' voice sounded over the intercom speakers. "Campers! The challenge is officially over! Meet back to the campfire in five minutes, time to announce who won!"

(FIVE MINUTES LATER: CAMPFIRE)

"Might I say to all of you, that what I witnessed would make Katie and Sadie proud! Boy, we had warm moments, funny moments, and touching moments! But, the pair that brought it home for their team was," Chris paused for dramatic effect, his gaze scanning over each of the teens. "Johnathon and Hannah, because I know for a fact that Johnathon is going to start watching anime now because of his interactions with Hannah. The Killer Bass win!"

The Killer Bass cheered, all of them embracing their respective partner, except for Johnathon, who stood frozen with his hands on his hips. "I'll say, I will not begin to stream anime, as it is a commoner's activity. I have far too much to do, places to be, people to see-" He began to protest, when Hannah pushed him out of frame to follow the other Killer Bass.

"Screaming Gophers, you were formidable opponents, but someone has to go. See you back here soon!" Chris winked to the Screaming Gophers, who slunk off to their cabin.

(GOPHERS CABIN, BOY'S SIDE)

Somehow, all of the Gopher team had squeezed in the boy's side, which was freshly cleaned thanks to Ricky and Larry's time together. "None of us deserve to go home after today." Ximena pointed out, angrily folding her arms over her chest. "This is so unfair!"

"I know, which is why I think it would be good for us to discuss who we should vote out, without lies or deceit, and do it right here." Ricky put his hand on his bunk, looking fixedly at his teammates. "...This is difficult."

Sarah fidgeted where she sat, listening as everyone began to talk over one another, trying to reason with one another. After a few moments of silence on her part, she spoke up. "Vote me off." The words caught everyone by alarm, especially Mariana, who guffawed at her in shock.

"I have everything I need in my life." Sarah began, her gaze swiveling so she could take all of them in. "My daughter, my fiance, and thanks to this place, friends. I wouldn't want to go out in any other way, beside knowing that I am doing so in a moment when I am truly content."

"A-Are you sure?" Larry asked Sarah, both enlightened and saddened by her sacrifice. Sarah beamed, rising to her feet. "Of course! I would not lie to you guys." She looked to Mariana, who had tears in her eyes. "You guys mean the world to me, and I would hate for you all to yell and pester each other while trying to say why someone deserves to go home, especially after today. We are more than a team now, we are a family, and no family deserves to go through something like that."

Elizabeth plastered herself to Sarah, holding her in a tight hug. "You are a hero, Sarah!"

Sarah hugged her back, shaking her head. "You guys are the heroes."

(CAMPFIRE CEREMONY)

Chris stood at the front, holding a plate of 9 marshmallows. "Campers! There are 9 marshmallows on this plate, for the 9 of you that will move on in the competition. As for the camper that is voted off, they will walk the Dock of Shame, take a ride on the Boat of Losers, and never come back."

Chris plucked a marshmallow from his plate, holding it out. "The first camper that is safe is Mariana." Mariana solemnly rose to her feet, taking the marshmallow and staring down at it. "Elizabeth and Henry!" The duo stood beside Mariana, Elizabeth leaning her head against Mariana's arm. "Larry, Ximena, and Joshua." Chris noted the air of dreariness that surrounded the Screaming Gophers, but he didn't pry into it. He wasn't being paid to care for the teens.

"Graham and Cami." The pair followed behind Joshua, leaving Ricky and Mariana behind. "The last person to get a marshmallow is...Ricky!" Ricky snatched the marshmallow, standing beside Cami with a frown on his face. Sarah smiled, taking the moment to face her team. "Thank all of you for being so incredible. Now, go out there and kick some Bass ass!"

The team circled Sarah, holding her close in a group hug.

"Well, a touching end to a touching day. But, will these bonds last, or is it only temporary?" Chris faced the camera. "Find out next time on Total! Drama! Return!"