The sound of the engine turning off caught Courtney's attention. She had purposely been quiet for most of the car ride, and to keep Duncan from prying, she blasted the Moana soundtrack the whole hour it had taken them to get to Geoff and Bridgette's house.
"We're here." Duncan announced to the occupants.
"That took forever!" Vanessa yelled from the back seat. For their young girls it had felt like forever but for Courtney it hadn't felt long at all. She was so nervous, she didn't know if Duncan was playing it cool or if he really wasn't anxious at all. Upon realizing that she was the only one in the vehicle not unbuckling themselves, Courtney did the same.
The walk to the front door was too short and soon Duncan was lifting up Addison because she wanted to ring the door bell.
"Hey." Duncan said softly and she turned her head towards him. "It's gonna be fine."Courtney tried to smile just as the door was opening.
"Oh my god!" Both of them turned their heads to see Bridgette standing in the doorway. She mostly looked the same besides that she was at least six months pregnant. "Geoff come here!" Bridgette called somewhere off in the distance. A moment later the taller blond male was next to her. His expression was as shocked as hers but he recovered quickly.
"Dudes! So glad you made it!"
"Told you we wouldn't miss it bro!" Duncan easily greeted as Courtney waved.
"And who are these little ladies?" Addison immediately curled herself into Duncan's arms, as Vanessa introduced herself.
"I'm Vanessa! Why are you wearing a funny hat?" Geoff shook her small hand.
"She has a point, don't tell me you're still rocking that same cowboy hat?" Duncan asked.
"Oh no, I let him take it out of hiding for the occasion." Bridgette interjected for her husband. "Is this your daughter Courtney?"Addison still clung to Duncan and stared with her hazel eyes at the strangers before her.
"She's a little shy." Courtney answered. Geoff held the door open as they all crossed the threshold into the living room. "Do you want me to take her?" Courtney asked Duncan when suddenly many pairs of eyes were on them.
"It's okay, I got her." For a few moments it was completely silent as the other inhabitants noticed who had arrived.
"They came... together?" It was Heather, who looked on unbelievingly, and yet almost disappointed. "If there was going to be any drama at this thing I thought it was going to be from having you two in the same room again."
"Sorry to disappoint you Heather. Duncan threw back at her smirking at the frown on her pretty features.
"It's still early."
Courtney felt Bridgette's hand on her arm.
"C'mon lets go talk." Suddenly a flash of red hair attached to a woman making tribal noises zoomed past them. Three identical boys with dark hair trailed behind her causing both women to jump back. It was surprising to see Eva calling after them.
"Boys! What did I say about running! Who invited Izzy or whatever she goes by now anyway? Her crazy is rubbing off on my kids!" Courtney and Bridgette raised their eyebrows at each other.
"Daddy can I go play too!" Vanessa asked Duncan, who eyed skeptically.
"Sure just be careful around that lady." He said while pointing to Izzy.
"C'mon Addie! Shy time is over!" She pulled on Addie's leg so that Duncan would put her down. Addison looked back at Courtney to see if it was okay. Courtney nodded and Vanessa took Addison's hand and led her through a throng of people.
Bridgette motioned for Courtney to follower her and they left Duncan and Geoff to converse. They passed through the kitchen where DJ was taking appetizers out of the oven while trying to keep Owen from eating them before they cooled. They stopped for Courtney to say hello then went through a door that went to the laundry room. Once the door was closed behind them Bridgette asked Courtney what she had been dying to.
"When did this happen?" Courtney sighed, she knew this was coming.
"Can I at least congratulate you on your pregnancy first?" Courtney smiled while going in to hug Bridgette and her baby bump. "Do you know what your having?"
"It's a girl, Geoff couldn't be more excited." Courtney was truly happy for them. Bridgette was so kind and caring and she was simply glowing.
"You're going to be an amazing Mom Bridgette."
"Thanks Courtney, that means a lot, but no more stalling! Spill already!"
"Okay, okay! First off, we're not dating." Bridgette looked skeptical at that but let Courtney continue. "Our kids go to preschool together. That's basically it."
"That must have been some surprise."
"You're telling me." Courtney's expression gave away that there was a lot she was leaving out on purpose.
"There's more..." Courtney paced back and forth a bit. Somehow this was worse than being in any court room.
"We're friends. We get along better now than we ever did. I mean, we still argue."
"That's a given." Bridgette giggled.
"We kinda co-parent our kids. I bring them to school, he picks them up since I have to be at the office late. We have a good system."
"Are you really saying that nothing at all has happened between you two? Nothing?" It was hard for Bridgette to believe that their relationship was merely platonic friendship. Not when she had caught a glimpse of them looking at each other in her front doorway. That was not the way friends looked at each other. Courtney stopped her pacing. She didn't want to reveal the intimate details about her and Duncan, but it was so nice to have someone to vent to for a change. Someone who knew their history.
"We may have accidentally slept together once..." Bridgette's eyes bulged at the confession.
"How do you have sex with someone by accident?"
"Poor self control? I don't know Bridgette! He drives me nuts."
"Because you're crazy about each other!
"We're just friends." She trailed off with a sullen tone.
"Is that really what you want?"
"It's better for the kids. I already uprooted Addison's life once this year, I can't jeopardize that for my own selfish reasons." Bridgette could tell Courtney was thinking with her head and not her heart.
"From the looks of it, she's as attached to Duncan as he is to her. I don't think he's going anywhere." Seeing them together always melted her heart, and her thoughts on the matter showed across Courtney's features. She couldn't help but smile. "Look, I think you should take a chance."
"Take a chance on something that could fail miserably? Again? If one thing about me hasn't changed, it's that I don't like to fail."
Suddenly the door to the laundry room bursted open before Bridgette could reply. Four sets of eyes stared at each other like deer in headlights.
"Uh... is this room taken?" Lindsay asked in her normal ditzy fashion. A red faced Tyler was behind her.
"Er... knock yourselves out." Bridgette said as she stepped aside.
"Thanks! Me and Todd have some catching up to do."
"It's Tyler!" The other three people in the room corrected her.
"Right!"
Courtney and Bridgette left the soon to be makeout session. Bridgette grimaced when she heard the door lock behind them.
"Anyway, just take a chance for once okay?" Bridgette asked, referring to their conversation before it was interrupted.
"I'll think about it."
Bridgette and Courtney had disappeared which left Geoff and Duncan in the living room. Once both women were out of ear shot, Geoff elbowed Duncan in the side.
"So you and Courtney huh?" Geoff offered Duncan a sly knowing smile.
"It's not what you think."
"Sure." He drew out the word to show he didn't believe him.
"Really man. I screwed up any chance of us getting back together."
"Just do what I do when I mess up with Bridge."
"Yeah? What's that?"
"Apologize over and over again until she forgives me." Duncan rolled his eyes, Geoff had always had it bad for Bridgette.
"But really dude, just say your sorry and that you won't do it again and you'll be making out in no time."
"Guess it works considering you've been together for this long."
"That's the thing dude, Bridgette's the best thing that's ever happened to me, so yeah I'm gonna put my pride aside if it means she's happy." Duncan couldn't fault him for that. His pride had gotten in the way of their relationship before. He and Courtney both had problems in that department. "What did you do to make her mad at you anyway?"Geoff inquired.
"She would literally kill me if I told you." Plus, he took some sort of pride in knowing that only he say Courtney's naughty side. It was just for his eyes and he wasn't too keen on sharing.
Just then the door bell rang and Geoff went to answer. Duncan looked on in mild anticipation. He couldn't really think of anyone showing up that would peak his interest. He was correct that it wasn't someone that interested him but others in the room had different feelings.
"I forgot how beautiful he is..." Beth said dreamily with her hands clutched together.
"Me too..."Added Owen who had poked his head out from the kitchen. Duncan had never gotten the appeal of Justin. Why did people fall all over themselves in his presence? He was a pretty boy, so what? For most of Duncan's time on Total Drama he didn't have any beef with Justin, not until he showed an interest in Courtney.
"Talk about the human embodiment of overrated." Even though her voice grated on his nerves, Duncan found himself nodding in agreement.
"What brings you over here Heather?"
"Oh, you know, just to chat." She said sarcastically "Why do you think?"
"If it's about Courtney, then it's really none of your damn business."
"If there was nothing to tell, you wouldn't have any reason to be defensive about it."
"Can't you take a hint?"
"I can, but this is much more fun." Duncan rolled his eyes, how did he get stuck talking to Heather of all people? "Maybe not as much fun as you have playing house with Courtney? Must have been easy for you sweep in after that nasty divorce she went through?"
"How do you know about that?"
"I have my sources." Heather's eyes lit up mischievously as something caught her attention. "Speaking of, looks like Justin just bumped into the one person from the show he felt worthy of his precious attention."
Duncan followed Heather's eyes to see what she was talking about. He clenched his jaw slightly when he saw that Justin was talking to Courtney and sporting that annoying white smile at her. The worst was that Courtney allowing him to talk to her. Duncan knew that he had no reason to be angered, Courtney was probably just being polite. It didn't help that Duncan couldn't quite hear their conversation.
"Aren't you going to become the jealous boyfriend and jump in?" Heather taunted.
"They're just talking, Heather." Then, Justin put his hand on Courtney's shoulder and Duncan tensed.
"Doesn't look like they're just talking to me."
"Courtney can handle herself." Justin must have said something that was supposed to be funny because Courtney laughed, but it was the kind of forced laugh that didn't reach her eyes. She used the moment of fake laughter to scan the room, her eyes locked with his and her expression screamed 'save me'.
"That's my cue."
Sorry for it taking so long for this update, it was long overdue, I've been extremely busy with work/life so it's been hard to find time to edit. Hope you guys enjoyed that one! Also, I decided to just ignore that Izzy had that accident that made her like super smart or whatever it was, she was more fun before.