Just Can't Take it Anymore

Courtney Flores was in the cargo area all the way in the back of the Total Drama World Tour Plane. Courtney really just wanted to be left alone so that she could pack the rest of her things in her red suitcase. While Courtney was putting some spare pants back into the suitcase, something fell out of one of the pockets. When Courtney picked it up, she unfolded it and smiled when she saw it was the last family picture she had taken before heading off to Total Drama World Tour with her parents, two uncles, one of her uncle's wives, her two little cousins, and her Grandmother. They were all smiling, happy for Courtney getting another opportunity at one million dollars and another opportunity to get on TV.

Courtney couldn't help but tear up as she continued gazing at the photos. Courtney had always been told she was different from her parents and the rest of her family, who some people had described as more fun-loving and loose than she was, while they described her as uptight and too focused on the future. Despite that, Courtney's parents were always talking about how proud and supportive they were of her, and they understood her more than anyone else. Courtney sighed before wiping the tears that threatened to form, put the photo in her pocket, and finished packing the rest of her clothes into the red suitcase. Just as she had zipped up the suitcase, Courtney nearly jumped out of her clothes as she heard someone open the door to the cargo area.

"Well there you are, Princess," a familiar voice playfully called out. Courtney cringed, as this voice belonged to the person she wanted to see THE LEAST at this point. It was her ex-boyfriend, Duncan Maloney. Duncan had been trying to talk to Courtney all day, and she had done her best to ignore him, no matter how sincere he had sounded. Courtney continued doing her best to ignore him as she picked herself up off the floor and grabbed the handle of her suitcase. Despite her eyes being slit into a glare and Courtney trying to look everywhere but Duncan, he walked into the cargo area and over to Courtney.

"Oh come on, are you still playing the silent game? Aren't you a little tired of that? I know I am," Duncan asked playfully, ruffling Courtney's brown hair. Courtney simply responded by swatting his hand away and continued walking over to the door, but Duncan blocked her way, his playful smirk now replaced with a confused and concerned frown.

"Move."

"Not until you tell me what's going on here."

"I don't have to tell you anything."

"Why do you have a packed suitcase with you?" Duncan asked, completely ignoring what Courtney had just told him. Courtney growled before attempting to push Duncan out of the way, though he was able to maintain his balance and stay in front of the door, doing nothing to assuage Courtney's annoyance.

"It's none of your business. Now move!" Courtney said louder, beginning to lose her patience. When it was clear that Duncan wasn't going to move until he got answers, Courtney attempted to push him again, but Duncan was able to grab both of her hands as gently as he could move her away from the door. Once Duncan was sure that Courtney wasn't going to strike him or anything of the sort, Duncan let go of Courtney, pretending that he didn't hear the litany of insults she was whispering at him.

"Now will you just tell me what the hell this is all about?"

"BECAUSE I WANT TO LEAVE, OK!?"

"…what?"

"I want to leave this stupid show! I'm…I'm tired, Duncan! I want to go home, be with my family, go to college, and forget this awful chapter of my life! I mean, yeah, this was fun at first, but ever since I got picked to be the villain of Action, my life has just gotten worse and worse."

"What…what are you talking about?" was all Duncan could utter, completely confused at what Courtney was venting about. Courtney was so furious that she didn't register the genuine curiosity in Duncan's voice and continued.

"Oh, I don't know, Duncan. Maybe all the death threats and hate mail I've gotten since Action ended. Maybe the fact that everyone on the cast hates my guts and thinks of me as some heartless sociopath. Or…or maybe the fact that my boyfriend decided that he needed to go to someone else to feel loved and appreciated. And you know what, Duncan? You cheating on me? That was the last straw," Courtney said, trying to take a couple of deep breaths to prevent more tears from spilling from her eyes. Duncan looked as if he had been punched in the gut looking at how miserable Courtney looked. All this time, he never once suspected that she had gone through any of this. Sure, Courtney did not take him kissing Gwen well at all, but Duncan had assumed she was over it and was moving on. Plus, if everything else she said was true, then the show must've taken more of an emotional toll on her than he thought. Duncan couldn't be that surprised though, he remembered some of the clever editing done to make Courtney out to be a psychopath and well…a villain while he, surprisingly, avoided a lot of those edits, especially in the early days of his Total Drama career.

"You know something, Duncan? I could've handled all the death threats and my lack of friends here because I had you. You were the one person I thought I could trust more than anyone on this show. You were the one support system I had on this damn show without my family around, and you…you betrayed me. And the worst part about it is that you treated the whole thing like it was some big joke. Tell me, Duncan, did you find it funny that I had my heart broken? Was it just so funny that I lost the trust of the one person I could count on!?" Courtney yelled at Duncan, poking his chest with her pointer finger with each word.

"I…I'm sorry."

"Oh, I'm so glad that you're sorry. Because that just fixes everything," Courtney said sarcastically through gritted teeth. Courtney then grabbed her suitcase back and wiped her eyes before turning and making her way back to the door. "I'm leaving. I'm telling Chris that I quit and that I'm never coming back to Total Drama," Courtney said without turning around to face Duncan. Duncan immediately responded by running over to Courtney and grabbing her by the forearm. Despite Courtney attempting to pull herself out of Duncan's grasp, Duncan was once again able to pull her away from the door and turn her around to face him.

"Come on, Courtney, you never quit." Courtney had to admit that she was surprised. She had fully expected Duncan to be ecstatic that she had planned on leaving. Instead, Duncan was holding onto her as gently as he used to when they had dated, trying to convince her to stay. However, Courtney quickly got over her surprise, and turned her nose at Duncan, looking away from him and at the walls.

"Well, I'm quitting now. Chris will probably be happy to have me off the show. He doesn't like me either. Hell, I can just imagine how excited everyone else is going to be once I leave. They'll all probably have a party or something," Courtney mumbled, Duncan noticing that her eyes were beginning to wet with tears.

"Oh, come on, Courtney, don't say that. There are plenty of people who like you, especially on the show," Duncan said in as comforting a tone as he was able. However, Courtney looked at him with wide eyes for a second before gritting her teeth, and in a fit of anger, throwing her suitcase into some of the nearby crates with enough force to slightly knock the crate askew. Duncan naturally recoiled, forgetting how strong Courtney became when she was angry, and judging by the shrunken pupils and the gritting teeth, Duncan knew he better stay quiet for the time being and let her vent.

"Oh, what the hell do you know!? You all think I don't hear what you all have said about me since Action ended!? How I'm just some stuck-up bitch!? That I'm a selfish and horrible person who doesn't care about anyone!? Someone who didn't deserve the opportunities she's been given on the show and should never have come back!? Someone who deserved to lose you to Gwen because she was a horrible girlfriend!? You all don't know that Chris basically brought me back on Action to be the villain! I didn't want to play the villain! I just wanted to be back on the show! But he MADE me be the Goddamn villain! I hated it! I hated being mean to everyone! I hated how I acted on Action! And…I hated all the things I said and did to you! I ruined everything! All the friendships I made, our relationship, EVERYTHING!" Courtney screamed out before she fell to her knees, tears forming in her eyes faster than she could wipe away. Eventually, her deep breathing wasn't working, and Courtney began crying, covering her eyes so that she didn't have to look at Duncan. Duncan knelt down next to Courtney and started massaging her back, which is something he remembered always calmed down Courtney. After doing this for a couple of minutes, Courtney's cries turned into whimpers, and Duncan sat down next to her while moving his arm around the back of her neck.

"I…I didn't know that. I thought you won that wrongful dismissal lawsuit against the show."

"I…I lied. We had to settle with the producers of the show. Chris said that one of my conditions to come back was that I had to play the villain and that I couldn't tell anyone I was playing a character. It was so miserable, and nothing has gotten better since Action. I…just want to go home and see my family again," Courtney confessed in between her whimpers, and Duncan let her lean on his shoulder, running his fingers through Courtney's brown hair. Courtney found herself surprised that she had melted at Duncan gently grazing her scalp with his fingers, which was something he used to do while they were cuddling together. It brought back good memories for Courtney, but did nothing to assuage her sadness, as these memories only made Courtney remember how badly their relationship had been messed up.

"Well…I have something to confess too," Duncan mumbled out, which caught Courtney's attention as she looked up at Duncan's eyes while continuing to whimper.

"What is it?"

"I…I still love you," Duncan confessed, not being able to look Courtney in the eyes as he darted his eyes to the ceiling. Courtney's eyes widened, stunned at this confession, as Duncan had been laughing it up with Gwen since the kiss, and hadn't even looked the least bit remorseful about the fact he had cheated on her. "I…I can't give you a good enough explanation as to why I kissed Gwen. I guess…I really thought you didn't like me anymore, and I just…wanted to feel loved by someone. I thought it was the right thing to do in the moment, but the second after the kiss, I felt like absolute garbage afterwards and I'm so sorry that I did that to you." Courtney continued wiping her face of tears as she continued listening to Duncan.

"Gwen and I aren't actually a couple either. We both talked and thought that it wouldn't work out."

"But…but I saw you guys canoodling in Australia yesterday," Courtney said. Despite the seriousness of this talk, Duncan had to bite his lip so that he didn't laugh at Courtney using the word 'canoodling'.

"Yeah, Chris told us that he wanted us to act like we were in love with each other. Gwen and I were totally against it, and I wanted to apologize to you, but Chris said that he'd not only kick the both of us off the plane and the show, but he'd kick you off the show too if we didn't go through with it. So…Gwen and I really had no choice but to go along with it and pretend to be a couple," Duncan confessed, scratching the back of his head as he relieved that awkward as hell conversation he had with Chris after he found out about the impromptu makeout session. Courtney looked up in shock at Duncan, all the hate and annoyance she was feeling completely dissipating as she nuzzled her cheek into Duncan's chest.

"I…had no idea that Chris was playing you too."

"Don't worry about it, Courtney. And I don't know if this'll change anything, but I'm sorry. I really wish I talked to you about the issues we were having instead of just going over to Gwen for affection. I never should've kissed Gwen, and I've regretted what I did since I did it. I know it's a long shot that you'll give me another chance, and I can't apologize enough for cheating on you, but I'm more than willing to work to earn your trust back. I love you, Courtney, and you've honestly been the best thing about this show for me."

"Duncan…"

"I know…I know that I have a long way to go, but I don't want us to hate each other anymore. I don't see any future for me and Gwen, but I see you and I being together when we grow up. I'll do anything to earn your trust back, so please…give me another chance to be your boyfriend?" Duncan asked, looking more desperate and sad than Courtney could ever remember seeing him. Courtney had tried to tell herself that she was over Duncan and that him cheating on her was the final straw for her. Despite that, Courtney still secretly hoped for the day that it was all revealed to be some crazy misunderstanding and the two would get back together. Duncan brought out a side of her that Courtney thought would never come back; a wild side, and she realized that she needed that wild side to take more risks, like applying to one of the most prestigious law schools in Canada.

"Duncan…it's going to take a while for you to earn back my full trust," Courtney said, twiddling her fingers as she tried to keep herself from looking Duncan in the eye.

"I'm willing to work for it as long as it takes," Duncan responded, holding both of her hands and massaging the back of her hands with her thumbs. Courtney finally mustered the courage to look up at Duncan, who looked at her with concern, though he did have a glint in his eyes at the prospect of finally getting back together with Courtney.

"Well…if you're willing to…then I accept. I'll be your girlfriend again," Courtney said. Duncan responded by grabbing Courtney and picking her up in a hug. Courtney couldn't help but laugh as Duncan spun her around in the air before finally letting her down. Courtney hugged Duncan back, the two cuddling while leaning on a crate, but Duncan then noticed the suitcase again, and looked down at Courtney.

"Hey, are you still thinking about leaving?"

"Yeah, I'm still gonna leave. This show's just been…too much," Courtney admitted. As she walked over to get her suitcase, Duncan patted her on the shoulder.

"Well, I'll join you." Courtney nearly tripped over herself hearing this. Courtney knew that Duncan was trying to show that she could trust him again, but this was a level that she did not expect.

"Duncan!? You don't have to do that!"

"Honestly, I want to leave this show. This show ruined our relationship and it messed with your life too. I'm sick and tired of Chris playing us like pawns for money we probably won't even get the chance to win. We're both better off leaving this crappy show," Duncan responded. Courtney looked at Duncan with a smile and nodded before picking her suitcase back up. Courtney wouldn't admit this to anyone, but she was a little scared of confronting Chris. Chris was an unpredictable person, something that annoyed Courtney as much as it scared her, so she didn't know how he would react to her wanting to quit. Courtney was saved by her overthinking by Duncan once again holding her hand with a gentle but firm touch.

Courtney smiled as she and Duncan left the cargo area, intent on going to the front of the plane, and quitting the show. They didn't know what was in their future after leaving Total Drama World Tour, but they knew their future had a more positive glint to it, knowing that they had the chance to finally have the relationship with each other that both Courtney and Duncan always wanted.