The Playa was abuzz with life, the post-show party in full swing. After Chef and Chris had dried off from the opening 'after-party' at the docks, the two took everyone in the boat of losers to the private resort, and everyone got to have the time of their life.

Everyone, that is, except Cody.

He'd been left in the on-site infirmary on the Playa to look over his injuries, and that's how he found himself trapped. Trapped in the bodycast, trapped in the chair, trapped… here. All of his effort, betrayal, and trickery, every last thing that tore at his very being, was for nothing. He would get sent back the moment he rested his eyes, and he dreaded that.

"Hey." Looking up, Cody saw her. The love of his life. The bane of his existence. The person he wanted to return to the most, and the person he wanted to look at the least. Gwen stood in the doorway to his hospital room, a small smile on her lips- not a condescending one, or even a spiteful one. It was a genuine smile, the kind she had rarely shown to him in his first life, the kind that made Cody think he ever had a chance.

Cody turned his head away in shame, not wanting to look at that- he didn't deserve to. Gwen shook her head and giggled, but it came out dry and lifeless, none of the typical humour the girl would have about her.

"You know, I never did like you." Gwen started, her tone flat, almost apathetic, causing Cody to look up at her in confusion. Hadn't he heard this before? "But, you didn't deserve this. You might be as bad as Heather, but you don't seem like the kind of guy who would do this. Maybe I'm being too nice, but you almost seemed scared."

Cody remembered. That first loop where he didn't do anything stupid immediately- she had said this to him. Despite her having already left, he had heard these words, as if she had come from the future to warn him about his path.

"You kind of remind me of my brother in that way." Gwen continued, not looking at Cody anymore. Instead, she glided over to the window in Cody's room, looking down at the party outside. "I got to watch some of the episodes, and everything about you seemed… fake. Like this wasn't who you really were, just a face you put on. Like a puppy growling at a lion, despite knowing he won't win."

Cody solemnly looked down. It was difficult to move his head, so he ended up just looking at the door leading out of his room, but it didn't matter. All he wanted to do was to look at nothing. He was tired, defeated, and scared. He hated that word and what it meant, what it could infer. That he was a coward, a weakling, someone who needed to be pushed around to reach victory, and here he had come so close to victory, but had forgotten the most important thing. The one thing that brought Owen and Gwen this far the first time.

Friends.

Love, friendship, philia, all of it was important. He had been reminded of these things again and again but truthfully, he was terrified of everything around him. Terrified of how to talk to these people he knew for so long but didn't know him, and what happened last time, back in Loop 0107, had been an encapsulation of that. Gwen's soft lips on his cheek as the reality of what he had done came crashing down on him.

The creaking of wheels beneath him is what caused him to awaken from his thoughts, startled. It seemed that Gwen had grabbed his chair and was wheeling him out of his room, but why?

His question was answered as soon as the pair joined the party, heated glares and confused stares making their way to them. Cody couldn't bring himself to look at any of them- all the people he had wronged, abused, manipulated, lied to- all of the deception and malice in his play. He couldn't even offer an apology in his current state.

It was Chris who broke the sudden silence. "Well, since everyone is here, how about one last audition tape for the road?" Cody warily looked up, knowing Chris was talking about his own. It had been so long since he saw it, most of the time he passed out in his bed during the loops to send himself back right away, and he wondered if that was another fear. Seeing how he used to be.

Chris stepped over to a large TV mounted on the playa wall and started working on a laptop connected to it. In moments, the TV displayed Cody's room, and soon, Cody's face appeared on screen. He almost wanted to die from embarrassment at what came next.

"Girl you know it's true!

You make me feel so blue~!

When you don't a-round!

I was lost and now I'm found! Come o-"

The sadly not-so-familiar voice of his father interrupted the tape. The two barely talked before the show, and truthfully, Cody had a vague recollection of doing this audition solely for some attention to be paid his way, and he supposed it worked.

"He just doesn't get it. I'm gonna be a super star one day. Just like-"

It cutoff abruptly, the tape Chris was working with was likely the TV edit one. The resulting noise wasn't laughter like back in the original timeline, but instead stunned silence. A few people giggled, mainly Katie and Sadie, but the rest were more bemused than anything.

" That's Cody? No freakin' way dude."

"That stringbean up there was nothing like the little weasel we played against!"

"I get that he's a loser, but come on Chris! How much did you pay Cody to make that!?"

Nobody wanted to believe the cringey, embarrassing boy they just saw was the same person they had played against in the show. Cody couldn't blame them- he could scarcely believe that person was him only a few years ago.

Slowly, the party began to die down. Nobody paid Cody a parting glance (aside from a "You get what you deserve," courtesy of Noah), everyone opting instead to move inside for the night. The party was planned to continue all week anyways, so nobody saw it as a major loss.

"So, that's the real you huh?" Gwen asked from behind Cody, letting go of his chair and deciding to walk to his side. Her voice still sounded apathetic, but there was a tinge of sorrow in there. "That… just made me feel sorry for you. I still don't know what happened, you seemed nice there, maybe a bit too much like some of the geeks back home, but it seemed genuine."

Cody let out a muffled "Thank you," which caused Gwen to briefly smile. She bent down, and pulled the bandages away from his mouth, grimacing at the raw cuts on his cheeks.

"I'd like to stay here awhile Gwen. You can go back inside just…" a ghost of a smile flickered on Cody's mouth. "Don't forget about me, okay?"

Gwen nodded, and went back inside the playa, and left Cody by the pool. Cody probably should have asked her to cover his mouth up, the wind irritating the wounds, but he enjoyed the ability to breathe fresh air. Looking around, he took notice of something reflected within the pool- the full moon, taunting him once more with its presence.

Cody didn't know why, but he lunged forward, shaking himself out of the chair and flopping his crippled body onto the tiled ground. He moaned in pain, his entire body feeling raw , but he didn't let that stop him. He just crawled forward, thrusting his body as best he could towards the pool, the image of the moon frustrating him to no end.

His last thoughts as he sank to the bottom of the pool were solemn. Despite all the aggravation and self-pity, he could only think one thing.

"I miss you guys."

Arriving on a yacht wasn't so bad. Sure, the island was crummy, but the people here more than make up for it.

Cheering everyone on as we jump to our presumed demise- not a single person sat out! Chris was beside himself with anger, he kept going on about how cowards help drive drama.

Everyone ribbed each other during the Awake-A-Thon, trying to see who would fall asleep out of sheer frustration. Eva almost blew up when she couldn't find her MP3 player- I found it for her though. Never seen someone go from angry to apologetic so quickly.

The dodgeball game was fun! Even got the bookworm to participate, and it seems like Lindsey and Tyler finally hooked up.

Finally got to show off my talents at the next challenge, wow'd everyone but Chef with my keyboard skills. I guess Chef is the only one who matters in that case, but it was nice seeing everyone so happy.

The camping trip could've gone better. Izzy tried to scare us all by dressing up as a bear, only for a real bear to show up and attack. Despite all the trouble though, we managed to laugh about it back in the cabin- it'll be something to tell our friends back home at least.

Facing our fears was another tough one. It was funny to see Chris try to figure out a game for my fear, so he ended up settling for a sword fight against one of his friend's kids. I think his name was Alejandro?

The canoe trip was just as bad as the camping one, but getting chased by prehistoric monsters and nearly blowing ourselves up was still fun. It was nice to help Trent and Gwen get together as well- they've both been great friends to me, it was the least I could do.

The deer hunting game was less fun. Got chased by a bear, would've been really bad if Duncan and DJ hadn't stepped in to save me. The three of us decided to spend the rest of the game raiding the craft services tent after that.

Cooking was never my forte, but LeShawna and Own really pulled through. At least until Owen ate the main course he made, though all of us were scrambling to whip up something to replace it… it was like we were one big family at that moment. Even Heather had a small smile on her face.

The games of trust were pretty fun, though getting a dozen crabapples in the face and kiwis put a damper on things. Looking just at the games, it seemed like all of us were pretty bad at it, but all of us participated. It seems we do trust each other a lot more than we let on.

Chef's bootcamp was hellish, it really reminded me how out of shape I am. Not as bad as Harold at least, but I still had to go to the med tent after puking up mud on the second day.

The "X-Treme" challenges seemed like a repeat honestly, but it was still fun. Even Harold had the time of his life despite getting sent home, but I think that was for several different reasons.

Doing a bunch of dares was classic camp stuff, but they felt designed to ensure guys like me don't win. Call me a coward, but there was no way I could fight Sasquatchenakwa.

The pirate treasure wasn't exactly "Goonies", but I guess a bag of chips is a good enough consolation prize. What can I say, BBQ is the king of chip flavors.

Playing a camp wide game of hide and seek is always fun- especially when the guy hunting you is built like… well, Chef. Almost felt bad for Owen when he lost, but the guy seemed to have the time of his life running from Chef as fast as he could.

Building a bike was a new experience for all of us I think, though Duncan seemed pretty familiar with everything. Having to actually use one of his bikes though? I think I'll pass. Have to feel bad for Ezekiel though, the guy came in second place, but only two people made it across. He seemed like he had a blast though, and didn't even complain about the elimination.

Running from a serial killer is… certainly a new experience. Courtney didn't take any of it though, her and Duncan two teamed the guy (turned out to be Chef), and then she manhandled the real one!

Trapping an animal felt kind of similar to an earlier challenge. I got a mouse though, so I could hardly complain. Thankfully there were no rules against sharing the reward with everyone else, and thankfully Owen wasn't here to make me consider not doing that.

Heather's a bit scary honestly, but being forced to play with her alone was fun. She has a nasty streak a mile wide, but I think she just gets really into the game. I'd honestly say she's pretty nice at times… don't let her know I said that!

Apparently everyone wanted LeShawna back over at the loser's resort, and I can't blame them. She's probably the most fun to be around out of whoever is left.

Becoming castaways… now that was a new experience. I'm used to ruffing it on my own, but that usually means microwaving a pizza pocket, not fighting with Heather over the last chocolate bar. Thankfully, we weren't stranded, but just the four of us having fun… I wouldn't have minded staying a bit longer.

The four of us were split into pairs and made to race each other around the island. My team ended up winning, and it was almost sad to see Heather go… Noah reminded me that she was really mean to basically all of us, and when I tried to tell him about how nice she could be, he said I was 'too forgiving for my own good'. He still smiled though.

Gwen and I rocked the second dare contest (he IS repeating these, isn't he?), though that was mainly because Noah hated the indignity of all this. He ended up quitting only an hour in when he got dared to "Wear Harold's underwear". Guess that was the last straw, but he seemed happy about how far he made it.

The final challenge… There was an even split between Gwen and I. Nobody seemed to know who to cheer for, I guess because almost all of us were friends at this point. Even I cheered Gwen on as she crossed the finish line, winning her prize. Despite losing, it was nice to… meet so many great people. So many people I could truly call my friends.

A homeschool boy who had a lot to learn if we're being honest.

A muscle headed girl who could be pretty cute despite all the anger.

A bookworm who could see the "I" in "Team".

A not-so-talkative model who truly liked a lot of us, despite appearances.

Twins who were a bit (alright, very) annoying, but made every situation lighter just by being around.

An overconfident jock who could always make you laugh- intentionally or not.

A wild girl who you would inevitably get sick of, yet still come back for more.

A wannabe kind enough to give a lonely boy a kiss.

The Type-A who wasn't that great a leader, but her attempts at trying were well intentioned.

A geek whose earnestness outshone everything else- even if he could be a bit tone deaf at times.

The guitarist who saw the best in everyone, but could also be really gullible in doing so.

The surfer girl that didn't have a single bit of hatred in her body.

A, quite frankly, really dumb girl who knew just how to make everyone feel welcome and wanted.

An animal lover who always pushed everyone to be their best selves.

The party guy who knew just how to make everything, even the most mundane events, exciting and over the top.

The sister who knew just how to make the camp feel homely.

A delinquent with a heart of gold.

The Queen Bee with a nice streak buried in there… somewhere.

The pretty disgusting guy that always knew how to liven things up, just by being around.

…and the loner, who despite everything, came out of the game with more than she could've ever asked for.

How could I ever hate these guys?

Cody breathed roughly as consciousness returned to him. He was back on the dry ground, body still screaming at him in pain, which was odd since he should be back at the yacht, restored to his former self.

He blinks away a mixture of blood, tears, and pool water to vaguely see a panting figure. It was almost unfamiliar, but the blonde hair and green sweater were enough to make him remember.

"D-Dawn…" Cody croaked out, voice hoarse from nearly drowning. Was she really back?

Dawn smiled down at Cody, that dreamy smile of hers he saw so many weeks ago. "It's good that I got here in time, and it seems like… you understand."

Cody began to cry again. Yes, he understood . What the coins meant, why he was here, everything. "I wanted to change… I wanted to be stronger, to fight and to win… at least, I thought I wanted that. But, what I really wanted was…"

"Love." Dawn finished for him, smiling warmly at his words. Cody tried to smile back, but the pain stopped him.

"Yeah…" Cody groaned, unable to move, unable to do anything beyond look at Dawn. "I wanted love more than anything. Friends, a family, people to rely on, and people that relied on me…"

Dawn caressed his bandaged head, scooting closer so she could prop it on his lap. With her out of his view, that's when he saw it, the real thing and not just the light it cast or a mere reflection.

The full moon in the sky was beautiful. Struggling, Cody raised his arm out as if to grasp it, Dawn not reaching out to stop him. It was so beautiful, and he had been ignorant of it for so long…

"Dawn…" Cody mumbled out, still gazing at the orb in the sky. "What do I do now?"

The girl just held up a coin, the one she had described as the 'mental change'. Cody broke his gaze to look at her, wondering what this meant.

"Because you understand, I think it's ready for someone to take this." Dawn began, holding the coin between her thumb and index finger. "It could be you, if you're ready to accept this burden on your own, or it could be someone you trust. Just know that taking this will stop the loops, and you can return to a normal life."

"What will that mean?" Cody asked, looking at the coin, and then back at the girl.

"The loops will stop. This will be the first day in your new life, free from the loops but still growing."

"But, what about everything I've done? How could I live like this? Everyone hates me now, they despise me, and I just… I just want to be loved."

He admitted it. Truthfully, that was all he wanted, and it was for that reason he couldn't bring himself to look at the coin, a symbol of returning to the isolated life he had given himself. A symbol of the personas he built up to protect himself from the pains and insecurities he felt.

"Is that what the 'codemeister' was?"

Hearing Dawn ask him that made Cody want to die of embarrassment. "Yeah… I just wanted someone to care about me, and I figured this island was a fresh start. My audition video, hitting on every girl I saw, I did like them that way, but what I really wanted was something more than the apathetic stares."

Dawn smiled. "You didn't deserve this." Without warning, she takes the coin in her hand, and puts it in her mouth, Cody's eyes widening as she swallows. Before Cody can even ask, she just says "I'll help you carry this. Just… enjoy your dream. It seemed quite pleasant."

With that, Cody's eyes drifted, his eyelids closing as he looked at the moon, Dawn's voice in his ears. She was… singing. The words were foreign, but it was nice, like a gentle rhyme a mother sings to her child.

Her soft singing continued as Cody spoke one last time.

"Dawn… The moon is beautiful, isn't it?"

END OF PART 2