A/N — Now we're at the third chapter, but I really don't have too much to say, though, so I hope you enjoy this chapter. Again, your support means a lot.

XxPistolgun: Yeah, I can kinda see what you mean, but I mainly just had them have a friendship in the first chapter because I'm not that good at writing anything slow burn at the beginning. Still, I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.

Anyway, let's continue on with the story.

Baby, it seems we never ever agree

You like the movies, and I like TV

I take things serious, and you take 'em light

I go to bed early, and I party all night

Our friends are sayin', we ain't gonna last

'Cause I move slowly, and baby, I'm fast

I like it quiet, and I love to shout

But when we get together, it just all works out

I take two steps forward, I take two steps back

We come together, 'cause opposites attract

And you know it ain't fiction, just a natural fact

We come together, 'cause opposites attract

Who would've thought that we could be lovers?

She makes the bed, and he steals the covers

She likes it neat, and he makes a mess

I take it easy, baby, I get obsessed

She's got the money, and he's always broke

I don't like cigarettes, I like to smoke

Things in common? There just ain't a one

But when we get together, we have nothin' but fun

— Paula Abdul, Opposites Attract

Chapter Three

Opposites Attract

The frigid air greeted the Total Drama contestants as they landed in the vast expanse of the Yukon. This icy landscape would serve as the backdrop for their next challenge, and tensions were already running high. As they disembarked from the plane, Heather shivered, wrapping her arms tightly around herself, trying to ward off the biting cold.

Great, just great. Of all the places we could have ended up, it had to be this frozen wasteland.

Her eyes darted around, taking in the snow-covered mountains and endless stretches of ice. She noticed Ezekiel standing a few feet away, seemingly unfazed by the cold.

Heather's internal thoughts was interrupted when Bridgette, Lindsay, and Tyler joined her and Ezekiel, bringing their own unique energies to the scene. Bridgette's love for nature and laid-back attitude, Lindsay's bubbly personality, and Tyler's sporty enthusiasm were all present, and Heather couldn't help but size them up as they prepared for the upcoming challenge.

The challenge in question was a race to the finish line on dog sleds. They would have to jump across a lake of ice floes and reach the other side. Once each team acquired a sled, one person would have to pull the sled as they picked up the rest of their teammates from numerous checkpoints scattered around the area. First team won while the last team would go straight to the elimination ceremony.

"Teams, get ready!" Chris announced, his voice carrying over the icy terrain. "On your mark… get set… go!" he shouted as Chef blew an air horn.

Immediately, some of the contestants began to jump across the numerous ice floes while others hesitated, not wanting to accidentally fall into the freezing water. For Heather, she, with some struggle, watched out for her teammates and made sure that all of them made it safely across. Looking from her spot, she saw Alejandro leading Bridgette from piece to piece while Lindsay held onto Tyler as the jock jumped with accuracy while assuring his girlfriend that they'll be fine.

That only left Ezekiel, who was currently ahead of her as he, Gwen, and Cody all jumped simultaneously while trying not to slip.

So far, everything was fine. Now, if only she could —

Roooaaaarrrrr!

Heather screamed in pure terror as a huge polar bear broke from the water, barring its sharp teeth as anyone near it. Several others screamed while others ran as fast as they could to avoid the bear's large claws.

"Heather, come on, eh!"

Heather didn't know if it was the sudden adrenaline or something else, but of all sudden, she jumped swiftly, and quickly, from where she was at, trying her best to ignore the bear's growls and roars.

Clonk!

A large chunk of ice suddenly struck the bear before it could reach the other contestants. It grunted as it dodged a second piece of ice.

"Get away from my Codykins!" a voice screamed, and everyone saw Sierra, holding another similarly-shaped block of ice, as she furiously glared at the bear, who, deciding that damage to its body wasn't worth it, had gone back underwater.

Meanwhile, Heather was about to catch up to Ezekiel and the others as they made it across the lake. Others had gone to the checkpoints while another member of each team got a sled. Looking around, she saw that Lindsay and Tyler were nowhere to be found and that Bridgette was still with Alejandro, looking completely flustered.

"Heather, nice of you to join us," said Chris, smiling sarcastically. "Since Lindsay and Tyler made it before you and Zeke, you might wanna hurry up and go on ahead," he said, gesturing towards the large amounts of snow.

With a frustrated sigh, Heather and Ezekiel made their way towards one of the checkpoints.

Bridgette couldn't believe what had just happened.

Not even five minutes ago, she had been fine, with Alejandro leading her to one of the checkpoints and offering her his shirt after he noticed that she was shivering. Taken aback, Bridgette tried to explain that she already had a boyfriend, but was unable to get the words out.

And now she was stuck to a pole. Alejandro had tried leaning in to kiss her, but the surfer girl backed away, throwing the shirt back at the Latin, wishing that she was anyone else but him — especially after their accidental kiss. As such, Alejandro forcibly had grabbed her and made her stick out her tongue, then proceeded to stick against s nearby pole. Team Chris Is Really Really Really Really Hot had soon arrived, and even though Gwen and Courtney had protested, they nonetheless continued towards the finish line, leaving Bridgette behind.

"Bridgette?" a shocked voice said.

Trying her best to turn her head, Bridgette saw both Lindsay and Tyler, the former looking at her with shock and concern while the latter quickly undid the straps from the sled as he approached her.

"What happened to you?" Tyler asked as he looked at her in her current predicament.

"A'andro," she said, trying her best to speak. "Ith was A'andro! E did thith!"

"What?" Lindsay exclaimed.

"Don't worry, Bridgette, I got you," Tyler said as he stood beside her. Making sure to be careful, he grabbed her tongue and, with a fierce yank, freed her tongue straight from the pole, with both of them landing on the snow-covered ground.

Sputtering, Bridgette spat and rubbed her tongue to get rid of the strange rusty feeling of the pole as best as she could. Taking a deep breath, she looked at Tyler and, without warning, wrapped him in a griping hug.

"Thank you, Tyler," she said gratefully.

"Just helping out a teammate," Tyler said modestly. "Well, come on, we still have Heather and Zeke to get."

Putting on the straps, Tyler quickly began running as Bridgette joined Lindsay. Not long after, they passed the members of Team Victory, who seemed to have all their members except for one.

Meanwhile, Heather had found a checkpoint not long after she and Ezekiel had crossed the lake. Still shivering, she stood beside him as they waited for their teammates. Hearing the sound of rustling, she turned her head and saw Ezekiel extending his hand, offering her his green sweater.

"Here, Heather," he said, smiling. "You need it more than me, eh."

"Thanks," said Heather as she put in the sweater, immediately feeling more warmer than before. Raising an eyebrow at the prairie teen, she asked, "Aren't you cold, though?"

"A bit, yeah," Ezekiel admitted, crossing his arms in an attempt to warm himself up. "But it's alright, eh. I don't mind."

"You're too modest, Zeke," Heather said, rolling her eyes in a non-judgmental way.

"I try, eh," Ezekiel responded, smiling back.

"Helga! Esteban!"

Looking ahead, Ezekiel and Heather saw Bridgette, Lindsay, and Tyler not too far away. Sighing in relief, both quickly climbed into the sled as Tyler sped by. Hopefully, they wouldn't be in last place.

Minutes had passed yet there seemed to be no sight of the finish line anywhere, only large amounts of lakes, snow, and ice. It was only when they were crossing a thin-like bridge that disaster struck.

Crack!

The bridge, unable to support the sight of the sled, collapsed, and if weren't for Tyler hanging onto the edge, all of them would've fallen below into the unknown.

"Are you guys okay?" Bridgette asked worriedly as she clung onto the end of the sled, doing her best to avoid looking down.

"I'm fine, Brenda," Lindsay responded, holding onto Tyler's midsection, looking scared beyond belief. Much like Bridgette, she also avoided looking down, clinging onto her boyfriend as best as she could.

"We're fine, too, eh," added Ezekiel, holding Heather's arm as he held onto the sled's side.

"Any of you how to pull this thing back up?" Heather said, her voice sounding desperate.

"Don't worry, you guys," Tyler said from above. "Just hang on!"

With some difficulty, Tyler managed to climb his way back up onto the side of the bridge, quickly helping Lindsay up as well. Together, they pulled the sled as hard as they could, bringing it back up with a hard tug that sent it flying onto the other side while Ezekiel, Heather, and Bridgette held on tightly as the sled landed on the ground.

"Phew! Thanks, Tyler — again," Bridgette said, breathing as she sat back down.

"Oh, Tyler!" Lindsay swooned as she kissed her boyfriend. "My hero! You saved us!"

"Just helping out my teammates," Tyler said, his face bright red as he smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, and now that we're all safe," Heather said, her hands on her hips, "let's get moving!"

"Oh, right," Tyler said, hurriedly as he strapped the harness on again. Making sure that there wouldn't be any other incidents, the jock began running again at a rapid pace while his teammates cheered him on. As they saw the finish line, Heather had an idea.

"Tyler, run towards that rock!" she shouted, pointing ahead where there was a large rock with a sharp edge. Noticing the confused looks her teammates were giving her, she added, "Trust me!"

Shrugging, Tyler changed directions and sped towards the rock that Heather pointed out. While doing so, he steered the sled with his feet towards the rock while everyone else gripped onto the sled before reaching said rock. The sled hit the rock and, using the edge as a ramp, launched high into the air, not only throwing Tyler onto the sled, but also soaring over a particularly hazardous stretch of the course. The other teams, unaware of Tyler's impromptu maneuver, continued along the normal route.

On the other side, Tyler's feet skidded on the snow as they landed, struggling to regain control of the sled while trying not to slip in the process, but his strong grip on the harness and his unwavering focus paid off, and they zoomed ahead, leaving the other two teams behind.

"We did it!" Lindsay squealed with joy, her eyes wide with excitement.

"Great job, Tyler!" Bridgette exclaimed.

As the race entered its final stretch, the finish line came into view. Team Amazon was within reach of victory, but they couldn't afford to let their guard down.

"Stay focused, everyone! We're almost there!" Heather shouted, her voice determined and unwavering.

We have to win, she thought desperately. We have to.

As it turned out, Team Amazon, in fact, did end up winning the challenge, with Team Chris Is Really Really Really Really Hot placing second and Team Victory third, which led to another elimination ceremony that resulted in Izzy being voted off due to her crazy antics that almost got them killed countless times during the challenge.

After the challenge, Heather found a moment to catch her breath near the cargo hold. Seeing his chance, Alejandro walked over, his confident stride matching his smooth talk.

"Congratulations, Heather. That was an impressive performance back there," Alejandro said, flashing his million-dollar smile.

Heather smirked, not entirely swayed by his compliments. "Thanks, but let's cut to the chase, Alejandro. I know you want me in an alliance when the merge comes, but it's not going to happen."

Alejandro's charm faltered for a moment, but he quickly regained composure. "Come on, Heather, you're a smart player. Surely aligning yourself with me could guarantee you a spot in the final three."

"I don't need your guarantees," Heather retorted with a scowl, her hands on her hips. "I've played this game long enough to know that trusting someone like you is a mistake. You'll turn on anyone if it benefits you."

Alejandro raised an eyebrow. "You're not wrong. But alliances are a part of the game. And with our combined wit and strength, we could dominate the competition."

Heather shook her head, a determined glint in her eyes. "I don't doubt your abilities, Alejandro, but I'm not interested in being anyone's pawn. I play this game for myself, and I'll make it to the end on my own terms."

Alejandro's expression darkened slightly, but he quickly masked it with a charming grin. "Very well, Heather. I admire your spirit and independence. But mark my words, the game can change quickly. When the time comes, you may regret not having someone like me on your side."

"I'll take my chances," Heather replied coolly.

As Alejandro walked away, Heather couldn't help but feel a mix of satisfaction and wariness. She knew she had made the right choice, but she also knew that Alejandro was a cunning adversary who would stop at nothing to win.

But then Alejandro said something that completely diminished that wariness.

"I must say, having Ezekiel on your team is quite the burden, isn't it?" Alejandro sneered, a smile on his face as she turned around to face him. He knew the exact things to say that would infuriate Heather.

Heather's eyes narrowed, and her protective instincts kicked in. "Watch what you say about Zeke. He's part of my team, and we have each other's backs."

"Oh, please," Alejandro scoffed. "He's nothing but dead weight. You'd do better without him."

Heather's temper flared, and she stepped closer to Alejandro, her face inches from his. "Listen, Alejandro, you may be good at manipulating people, but don't think for a second that you can mess with me or my team. Ezekiel is here because he deserves a chance, just like everyone else. If you saying things like this, then we're going to have a real problem."

Alejandro raised an eyebrow, taken aback by Heather's fiery response. He smirked, seemingly amused by her defensive stance. "Well, well, I see a whole new side of Heather. It's rather intriguing and strange at the same time. But seriously, Heather, helping out the outcast now? That's sweet, but don't you think it's a bit beneath you?"

Heather raised an eyebrow as she scowled, not at all impressed by Alejandro's condescending tone. "I can do whatever I want. And besides, you don't know the first thing about being compassionate, do you?"

Alejandro leaned in, his green eyes locked onto hers. "Oh, I know more than you think. I can see right through your act, Heather. You're not doing this out of the goodness of your heart. You have feelings for Ezekiel, don't you? You only want his vote so you can get further into the game."

Heather's eyes suddenly widened in surprise, and then she burst out laughing. "You've got to be kidding me, right? Ezekiel and me, together? That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard!"

Alejandro's jealousy flared, and he narrowed his eyes. "Oh, come on, Heather. It's so obvious. You're spending time with him, helping him, and always defending him. You two must be secretly dating or something."

Heather shook her head, still chuckling. "You're unbelievable. There's nothing going on between us. I'm just being nice. Not everything is about romantic relationships, Alejandro."

Alejandro crossed his arms, unconvinced. "I find that hard to believe. You've got a soft spot for him, and sooner or later, it's going to get in the way of your game. Mark my words."

Heather rolled her eyes and turned to walk away. "You're just saying that because you're jealous. And you have no reason to be," she said, refusing to let Alejandro's words get to her. She knew he was playing mind games, and she knew that she wasn't about to let him win. She turned her attention to Ezekiel, who was chatting with some of the other contestants, a genuine smile on his face.

"I won't let him come between us, Ezekiel," Heather whispered to herself, determination burning in her eyes. She didn't bother correcting herself despite knowing that the words she just said didn't border on the lines of friendship.

I'll beat you, Alejandro, she vowed, gritting her teeth. I'll beat you, and when I do, you won't be laughing then.

Hours after the intense argument with Alejandro, Heather found herself contemplating her feelings towards Ezekiel as she lounged in the First Class section of the Total Drama Jumbo Jet (she saw that Bridgette was talking to Gwen and Leshawna in Economy Class while Lindsay and Tyler were probably in the cargo hold). The argument had angered her, and even though she wasn't one to get angry over meaningless words, Heather also wasn't used to letting her guard down around others, but there was something endearing about Ezekiel that had caused her to become his friend, and she knew that he wouldn't judge her.

She spotted Ezekiel sitting alone by the window, gazing out at the passing clouds with a contemplative expression. Feeling a sudden urge to talk to him, Heather took a deep breath and decided to approach the prairie boy.

She cleared her throat and awkwardly started the conversation, "Hey, Ezekiel."

Ezekiel turned to face her, a friendly smile spreading across his face. "Hey, Heather. What's up?"

"Can we talk?" Heather asked, feeling a bit uncertain about how to express her thoughts.

"Sure thing, eh," Ezekiel replied, patting the seat next to him, inviting her to sit.

Heather took a seat beside him, fidgeting slightly with her hair. "About what earlier today... with Alejandro and everything."

Ezekiel nodded, understanding the tension between Heather and Alejandro was no secret. "Yeah, I saw the whole thing. He's not exactly my favorite person."

Heather smirked, grateful for Ezekiel's support. "Mine neither. But I wanted to talk to you about us — our friendship."

Ezekiel raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious. "What about it?"

"I've never really had a real friend like you before," Heather admitted, her voice tinged with vulnerability. "I mean, sure, I've had alliances and temporary partnerships, but you're different."

Ezekiel chuckled softly, his eyes softening. "You're different too, Heather. You're not like the person everyone thinks you are, eh."

Heather felt a mix of surprise and warmth at Ezekiel's observation. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, people only see the tough, ruthless Heather, but I've seen more to you," Ezekiel said earnestly. "You've got a strong will, and you also determination. I admire that in someone, eh."

Heather blushed slightly, not used to receiving such compliments. "Well, I mean, that is true."

"Exactly," Ezekiel replied, nodding. "I've learned not to judge people based on what others say about them. You've been nice to me, and that's all that matters."

A sense of relief washed over Heather as Ezekiel's reassurance of her warmed her heart. "Thank you, Ezekiel. I needed to hear that."

"You're welcome, Heather," he said with a warm smile. "So, what's on your mind?"

"I was wondering... would you be open to forming an alliance with me?" Heather asked, surprising herself with the request. While she herself was no stranger to making alliances, it was surprising since they wouldn't look like they would be losing anytime soon, along with the fact that it was also too early into the game to suggest one (though she suddenly remembered that she did form an alliance back in the first season).

Ezekiel blinked, taken aback by the proposition. "An alliance? Are you sure? I thought you didn't trust anyone."

Heather hesitated for a moment before responding, "I don't usually, but I trust you, Ezekiel. You've proven yourself to be someone that I can rely on, and vice versa, and I think we would make a great team when the merge comes."

Ezekiel considered her words, a mix of excitement and caution in his expression. "I'm not the best strategist or anything, but if you think we can help each other out, then I'm in. Let's just hope we're still here when the merge comes, eh."

As the night settled in, Ezekiel found himself reflecting on the day's events. He realized that being a part of a team, a real team that supported and trusted each other, felt incredible. He had formed a special bond with Heather, of all people, and it had made him question his preconceived notions about her.

Meanwhile, in the cargo hold, Heather sat alone by the window, gazing at the stars. The day had been full of close calls, yet, in the end, they ended up winning. And between all of this, she couldn't help but feel a strange warmth in her heart. Maybe having teammates that she could rely on wasn't such a bad thing after all.

Especially a certain prairie boy, she thought to herself in amusement.

Shaking her head, Heather couldn't help it; her cheeks became a bit red, but she didn't bother to pay any attention to that, because every time she thought about him, whatever worries she had seemed to fade away, and the warmth in her heart grew more and more.

Confessional

"Wow, winning the Yukon challenge was incredible! We really pulled together as a team, and I'm so proud of everyone. Geoff, if you're watching, trust me, what you saw was not me cheating on you, I swear!" Bridgette sighed before speaking again. "Besides, there's definitely tension between Alejandro and Heather. It's obvious he's trying to get under her skin, and I don't like it, even though I don't like Heather myself, but at least she's not trying something dumb like throwing challenges. Despite that, though, it's impressive how Heather's handling it. She's tough, and Ezekiel seems to be a great support for her. I just hope this alliance — if that is what they're doing — doesn't put a target on their backs."

(static)

"Yay! We won! I can't believe it!" Lindsay said happily. "And I totally can't believe I remembered what a Yukon is! Heather's really smart, and I'm glad she's on our team despite her being, you know, rude and all that before. Oh, and Ezekiel's not so bad either; I think that was his name. He's starting to blend in, and Heather seems to like him, too. They're such good friends."

(static)

"Ezekiel's actually doing pretty good now!" Tyler said, flexing his fingers. "I mean, we all know he was kinda strange at first, but he's improving, and his friendship with Heather is blooming. I never thought I'd see the day where Zeke and Heather would be friends, but hey, anything can happen on this show! And yeah, if you're wondering, I got wicked strong fingers. The doctors can't explain it, but I once broke a piano. After that, I got into sports."

(static)

Heather pointed an index finger upwards as she spoke, a mix of pride and annoyance in her voice.

"Winning feels great, but I can't help but notice Alejandro's constant glare. It's like he's jealous or something. Ugh, get over it, dude. This game is about strategy, and if he thinks I'll just turn my back on Ezekiel simply because he's threatened, he's got another thing coming. Ezekiel is surprisingly useful, both as an ally and friend, and I'm not losing him anytime soon." A few seconds passed before her eyes widened. "You people know what I mean!" she growled, pointing her finger at the camera.

(static)

"Man, oh man, eh! Winning with Team Amazon feels like a real accomplishment!" Ezekiel said, grinning. "And Heather, she's not as mean as I thought she was gonna be. We've been talking, and I think we've found some common ground. But I'm getting the feeling that someone here doesn't like me — besides most of the other girls, eh."

(static)

"It's infuriating to see Ezekiel getting so close to Heather," Alejandro said, an annoyed expression on his tanned face. "She's a strong player, and having him by her side only makes her more powerful. I need to find a way to get rid of Ezekiel without making it obvious that it's because of his connection with Heather. I can't let my guard down for a second."

A/N — So here's the third chapter. I was originally going to have Team Chris Is Really Really Really. Hot here like they do in canon, but I decided to have them lose instead, mostly to emphasize Alejandro's frustration and his not-so-hidden jealousy towards Ezekiel and Heather.

Aside from that, let me know through your reviews what you think of everything so far. The next chapter will be uploaded soon.