A tropical island as beautiful as Hawaii normally felt like a dream come true to most people. The stunning blue of the ocean, the white, finely milled sand, and the comfortable sunshine beaming down to make the foam of the waves twinkle. However, when there were a million dollars on the line, it was difficult to soak in that heavenly sun.
And Miranda felt bad for being nervous about it. She never, in a million years expected to make it to the finale of Total Drama World Tour. She'd never come for the money in the first place, but here she was playing for it. Sure, she wasn't going to go through with her original plan anymore, but that didn't mean the money had suddenly become her number one priority. Honestly, she felt void of purpose now. She felt like she didn't deserve to be in this position.
Alejandro, on the other hand, couldn't have been feeling more content with his position. Cody was going to be a pushover to beat, then all he'd have to do is beat Miranda and take home his prize. He'd worked so hard after all this time, took down so many to get where he was. But, out of all the people he expected to be duking it out within the end, he'd never expect it to be these two. A weak boy built like a twig who had been carried by a psychopath, and the most innocent, sweet, and gorgeous girl who hadn't even come for the prize money in the first place. It didn't matter, though. No matter who he'd ended up with here, that money was his, and nothing was going to tell him otherwise.
He strolled his way up to Miranda, who was currently on her phone, texting her parents about the upcoming finale. He plopped his elbow on her shoulder, garnering her attention.
"I wish to congratulate you on second place, doll. Quite admirable, I must say."
She couldn't help but snicker. "I'll happily take second. Just getting this far is literally blowing my mind."
"I'm happy to see you here. If I was going to give anyone the honor to be beaten by me, it would be you, gorgeous."
"Oh, please~ Don't worry about me. You've basically already won. I never came for the money, you know that. I shouldn't have the right to fight for it."
Alejandro pouted. "Oh, come now, dollface. You certainly deserve to be here, considering all you've been through. You may not want the money, and that's fine. But, I don't want to give up now. Haven't I always told you that I want you at your best?"
Miranda rolled her eyes playfully. "Yes~"
Well, this is no exception. I think you and I have put on quite a show, let's end it with a bang, shall we?" Alejandro purred.
Miranda looked up at him and his charming smile, noticing that he was offering his hand to her. She grinned softly, taking his hand, which allowed him to pull her close to him.
"...Fine, but don't expect much."
He chuckled, kissing her hand. "Whatever happens, it's been a pleasure and honor to have met you. I refuse to imagine a world without you in it."
Miranda blushed, humming sweetly. "Aw...stop, that was really sweet."
"Well, you bring it out of me, gorgeous." Alejandro smiled, shrugging slightly.
Soon enough, the crew called to begin rolling again. The final three got into a line and Chris fixed his hair for the final time. With a call to action, the cameras rolled.
"Welcome to the live finale of 'Total Drama World Tour'. Moments ago, these guys tied for second in a boat sandwich. Tasty! During the break, we sent them to vent in the confessional. Check it."
Everyone was able to shoot a confessional in a makeshift grass hut. Alejandro's confessional played first.
"I only let Miranda beat me to give her a full sense of confidence. Knowing how hard it is for her to gain confidence, it was the least I could do after today. But how do I explain to those at home that I tied with that pathetic Cody?"
He put a hand on his head, whining.
"My brother José will be compiling his insults already."
The next confessional was Cody's.
"I made it all the way to the final two-ish! I can't believe how close I am to the million! There's just one massive thing in my way, Alejandro... Against just me! Never thought I'd say this, but...I was Sierra was back in here with me."
Last but not least was Miranda's.
"...Unbelievable. I'm in the final two, what? Oh my God...I don't deserve to be here. After everything I came for...I can't win in good faith. And if I do, I'm definitely not keeping the money, I'd probably donate it. I mean, I wouldn't be here if it weren't for Alejandro, literally, I wouldn't be here, like on Earth. He's done more for me than...anyone I've ever met. Ugh, and I hate saying that because he's hurt me a lot too. But if ends up beating me...I can't say he didn't deserve it."
Alejandro grinned, wrapping an arm around Miranda and kissing her temple.
"Mi ángel~"
She scoffed, rolling her eyes once more. "What? I'm just being honest. And what's this about a brother? José? You never told me about him."
"Oh, he is not worth mentioning, dollface." he cooed.
Mirandas suddenly looked over to see everyone in the peanut gallery waving flags with the final three's faces on them.
"Go, Team Alejandro! He's even hotter in person!" Sadie squealed excitedly.
"Huh...? Why is everyone on teams?" Miranda asked curiously.
"The peanut gallery's playing a major role in choosing a winner."
Everyone in the stands cheered enthusiastically.
"Sweet, I guess we're all voting on the winner again," Duncan smirked.
"Oh, you guys...! I'm flattered for anyone rooting for me, but..."
"Nah, girl, you got this!" LeShawna called out.
"We told you, you deserve it!" DJ exclaimed.
"We are here for you, Cody! Especially me! Believe!" Sierra waved.
The idea of everyone voting for the winner felt a bit off in Miranda's mind. To have the three of them travel all the way to Hawaii, just to leave it all up to a vote? No, it didn't feel right. Too anticlimactic. Though she had to wonder if not a vote, why else would be peanut gallery so distinctly divided?
"But first, we got to break a tie. Miranda, you won the race to Hawaii, so your reward is this advantage. You can select the tiebreaker yourself, or you can let Cody or Alejandro do it."
Miranda pouted. "No, no, I'll pick. I'm a Libra, I want things to be fair, unlike, some people."
Alejandro snickered as he was verbally attacked. He really did have a thing for her and that sass she'd occasionally have.
"I was hoping you'd say that." Chris chuckled sinisterly, triggering some of Miranda's anxiety.
Chris led the three over to a tall glass box with a bright yellow container filled with what appeared to be little white balls.
"Ta-da~! Each ball inside our challenge booth has a different tiebreaker written on it. So, take your pick."
Miranda took a breath and braced herself. "Okay, but I don't like the looks of this..."
Despite her uneasiness, she stepped into the box. Chris closed the door and the little white balls began to pelt her harshly. She squeaked, ducking and shielding her head to minimize the pain.
"Ow, ow~! Stop~! Why golf balls!?"
Bridgette looked shocked once she heard Miranda say that.
"I swear, Geoff and I put ping-pong balls in there!"
"I know. And I'm not mad, just disappointed. I had to dial it up to meet my usual high standards."
Miranda continued to get assaulted by the balls, with one of them busting out of the glass and knocking out Tyler all the way on the bleachers. She suddenly felt one go down her shirt, getting stuck in between her breasts. Once she felt that, she rushed out of the box, panting anxiously.
"No ball, no exit. Back you go."
"Oh, don't worry, I got one."
Miranda rustled through her shirt and pulled out the ball. Alejandro couldn't hold back a snarky chuckle, making Miranda glare at him.
"Don't."
Alejandro simply winked at her seductively as Chris spoke up.
"Uh, go ahead and read that, would you?"
Miranda huffed, spinning the ball in her fingers until she found the tiny print scribbled on it.
"Okay...It says...Traditional Hawaiian fire dance of death."
Alejandro smirked at Cody upon hearing this, making him cower with worry.
So, after some setup, the three were sent out onto a wooden platform built in the water. Miranda was tied up to a wooden pole up to her shoulders with a heavy-duty rope, while the boys were dressed up in grass skirts in coconut bras. They each were wielding a large metal stick with two blue cushions on each end. Despite Miranda's discomfort with the rope itching her arms, she was having trouble holding back her giggles at the boys' attire.
"I question how traditional it is for a male warrior to wear a coconut bra," Alejandro muttered.
"You still look hot, get over it."
Alejandro smirked at Miranda, who quickly blushed when she realized that wasn't just a thought in her brain.
"I-I mean...God, it's hot out here...I can't get over it...~" she chuckled nervously.
"The first dude to free Miranda wins the last spot in the final two and a shot at the million!"
"Uh, if no one happens to free her, does that make Cody and I the final two?" Alejandro asked.
"Um, rude." Miranda huffed.
"Won't work, I already checked. Chef, if you'd do the honors."
On cue, Chef shot two flaming arrows out to light both sides of the platform ablaze, startling the boys a bit.
"Oh, and stay out of the water, starting...now!"
Chef also shot two large steaks into the water, feeding the hungry sharks lurking within it.
Duncan laughed at the pure insanity of this tiebreaker. "Man, does it feel good to be out of this game..."
With that, the peanut gallery began to cheer as the battle of epic proportions began.
"Prepare to be defeated, my tiny friend."
Alejandro roughly pushed Cody back towards the fire, terrifying the smaller boy.
"I'm too young to die...! Or fry!"
"Stay focused, Cody-kins!" Sierra called anxiously.
"The kiwis! Go for the kiwis!" Harold urged.
"Go, Alejandro! Squish him, like a bug!" Courtney exclaimed ruthlessly.
Miranda watched the battle anxiously, despite knowing full well that Alejandro was going to win. It didn't matter to her who won in the first place but looking at both of their states, it was pretty obvious who was better suited for this victory.
But her thought was halted when another flaming arrow was shot above her head, lighting the pole she was tied to on fire. Miranda screamed, starting to panic and squirm.
"Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up!"
The boys were too into their duel to notice this, however.
"Give up! You know you can't win." Alejandro chuckled teasingly.
Realizing they weren't going to stop, she started panting anxiously and thinking of what the quickest end to it would be. With lightning-fast decision-making, Miranda screamed again, channeling her panic into something that didn't exist.
"Oh, my God! Sierra, are you okay!? Someone help her, she rolled right into that quicksand!"
This snapped Cody out of his zone, to look over to the shore with worry.
"What? Sierra!? Someone help her!"
"No! Cody!" Sierra panicked.
This gave Alejandro just enough time to strike Cody square in the back. The impact not only knocked the wind out of him, but it also knocked his dueling stick straight into the water for a shark to chew.
"No!" Cody cried, realizing he'd been duped.
"Consider yourself disarmed, and dis-platformed!"
Alejandro brutally smacked Cody into the water with his stick, landing him right in the middle of a shark's circle.
Chris laughed. "Ruthless!"
"Please don't eat me...please don't eat me!"
Cody pleaded, but the shark dove right at him, mouth wide open. Sierra quickly pedaled herself into the water to save Cody from being devoured.
Meanwhile, Alejandro turned to untie Miranda as a couple of interns came over to put out the fires. Miranda couldn't help but hum sweetly, feeling his strong presence around her.
"My hero~"
Alejandro grinned. "Oh, darling, you misinterpret me. I'm no hero, rather a king fighting to protect his ravishing queen."
Soon enough, the rope that was once wrapped around her fell to her ankles. Alejandro pulled her by her shoulders, purring huskily in her ear.
"If you think this is hot, just wait until I win, doll. We can...celebrate my victory together."
Miranda's cheeks burned with anticipation. "I hope you win quickly~"
Once the fires were put out and Cody was no longer in a shark's mouth, everyone congregated back onto the mainland to officially begin the finale.
"Now that we have our final two, it's my pleasure to announce the peanut gallery will not be voting for the winner."
Both finalists sighed with varying degrees of relief.
"Thank God, that would've been so boring." Miranda snickered.
Courtney, however, was not at all pleased to be hearing this, standing up from her seat.
"What!? But you said we were gonna play a major role! Major!"
"Yep, just not in a 'vote-y' kind of way. Prepare to have your minds blown by the most lethal challenge in Total Drama history. Miranda versus Alejandro versus the volcano! Back in the day, human sacrifices were tossed into Kilauea volcano to appease the gods. Sadly, the lawyers won't let me use real people as sacrifices. So, Miranda and Alejandro will have to make sacrifice stand-ins, using the island's most abundant resources, pineapples and driftwood. And to make it nice and symbolic, you guys have to make dummies of each other to dump in the volcano. Now, you each get to pick two helpers."
Miranda scanned the crowd carefully, trying to think of who to pick while Alejandro selected his two with ease.
"I choose Courtney and Tyler."
"Yes!" Courtney cheered excitedly.
Tyler was still knocked out by the golf ball, so Lindsay attempted to wake him up.
"Wakey, wakey, Tyler."
But she ended up accidentally socking him right in the face, depleting more of his consciousness. She covered her mouth with shock, pouting a bit.
"He'll be so mad about this tomorrow!"
"I suppose I could choose someone else." Alejandro shrugged courteously.
"Aw, thanks! I'd love to!" Lindsay beamed.
"I appreciate your enthusiasm."
Miranda pouted at him. "Courtney? Seriously?"
Alejandro snickered in spite of her annoyance. "Hey, just because you're not playing to win, doesn't mean I'm not, my dear."
Miranda huffed, her nose scrunching in that adorable way Alejandro adored. That is until she put on that sweet, irresistible grin and tone of hers.
"...Fine. DJ, can you help me?"
"Absolutely!" DJ exclaimed, standing up from his seat to walk down to her.
"Okay, um...I don't know, I don't really have a preference...Who wants to help me?" Miranda stammered nervously.
"Alejandro is going down!" Cody immediately stood up with a vengeful look on his face.
Miranda shrugged and gestured for him to join her and DJ.
"Okay! We have our helpers. Now, Miranda and Alejandro, you have to stay on your mats and direct your helpers to bring you logs, driftwood, and pineapples that resemble parts of your opponent. And to make things a little more rhymey!"
It was then that Chris rang the bell for the final time, leading everyone to sing an impromptu song one last time. Alejandro started out the number, directing Lindsay and Courtney.
My ladies, please head straight
That's it, you're doing great
Search through that wood, tout suite
Find a form that's petite.
Miranda joined in, pouting and directing her boys.
Come on, guys, move it fast
Quick quick, I won't be last
Grab the parts that will let me
Match his silhouette.
I'm gonna win it
And you can't take it
I'm right here in it
But you just fake it
Courtney and Cody would also join in with their own verses, getting under the skin of their opposing captains.
Is this thigh thick enough?
Uh-huh! Hey!
Gosh, is this chest wide enough?
Bam! Now it's lovely versus wicked
Miranda's great and Al is sick
And all this agro for the cheddar
She'll put Al here through the shredder!
That's it now, hurry, please
I need hands, sweet dainty
Her shape is an hourglass
Don't miss out on that.
Alejandro smirked at her flustered face, making Miranda stammer ever so slightly.
Get me some bulky arms
And legs, stupidly long
Get me a bigger head
Move quickly, or we're dead
I'm gonna win it
And you can't take it
I'm right here in it
But you just fake it
I'm so right, it's ill
Worth one-fifth of the mill!
I'll back you back somehow
Pineapple head me now!
Both parties built their dummies as fast as they could, but of course, Alejandro ultimately finished first.
"And Alejandro takes the lead! Next step, haul your sacrifice to the top of Kilauea and toss her into the volcano. Like so."
Chris showed an intern throwing in a dummy and getting heavily splashed by lava.
"Yeah, watch out for the backsplash. We'll be right back with all the hardcore, lava-rific, sizzling finale action here on Total! Drama! World Tour!"
Miranda got to finish her dummy during the break, immediately regretting making him so bulky. She struggled just bringing the dummy to the starting line.
Alejandro chuckled smugly. "Having fun there, doll?"
She panted weakly. "I blame... my perfectionism..."
"I commend you for giving yourself such a challenge. Won't do you much good in the end, but I respect it."
"It's...not like I care...You're gonna win regardless. Don't need to rub it in..."
He laughed. "Oh, I can't help it, darling. But hey, maybe you'll gain something out of this. Exercise, endurance, common sense, something along those lines."
Miranda groaned tiredly. "I don't wanna do this...can't I forfeit?"
"No, dollface. At least try, give me some entertainment." Alejandro teased, pinching her cheeks in his hand, tilting up that sweet pout of hers.
"You're a cocky bastard, you know that?" Miranda muttered.
"Oh, I know. But I do it to see that cute little pout of yours." he cooed.
The cameras turned back on after a few minutes. A medic passed the two finalists with a completely charred intern on the stretcher.
"You really aren't giving us any safety gear? Isn't that illegal?" Miranda asked worriedly.
"As the saying goes, no excruciating pain, no million-dollar gain. To help you get those dummies to the top of the volcano, you can use the rewards your teams earned on your behalf in the aftermath lava surfing challenge. Miranda won a wheelbarrow, and Alejandro won a stroller. If Cody were still in the race, he would've had deadly squat."
"Well, at least now it won't be too embarrassing for you, doll."
"I don't care about that, I just didn't wanna have to carry this thing~" Miranda sighed in relief.
"Alejandro, for winning the effigy challenge, you get a twenty-second head start. So, get going!"
"Farewell, Miranda. I won't say I haven't enjoyed defeating you!"
He began his trek, stroller in tow. Miranda took her time to hoist her dummy into the wheelbarrow. DJ helped tremendously with this.
"Thank you. You've helped me a lot this season. Too bad I actually don't want to win that much." she chuckled.
"Hey, you deserve it. If anything, put on a good show for everyone. We'll still love ya whether you win or lose." DJ insisted warmly.
Miranda smiled sweetly. "...I know. Thank you."
Chris signaled for Miranda to start her trek, leading her to begin pushing the wheelbarrow up the slope and chase after Alejandro.
Meanwhile, Alejandro had never felt better. He couldn't hold back his triumphant grin, despite not even being halfway up the volcano yet.
"I have the lead! And I can taste the million! It tastes like mint dipped in pure gold!"
His pride was interrupted by the sound of breathing and loud wheels. He stopped, turning around.
"What on Earth?"
He saw Miranda panting while jogging with her wheelbarrow.
"This is so useful. I might be able to keep up with you for once."
"I'm impressed. Not threatened, but impressed. See you at the top. I'll be the one with the check for a million dollars!"
Alejandro widened his lead but was abruptly stopped by a large pit of lava. It was so sudden, that he rolled forward, nearly falling in.
"Que?!"
When a lava bubble popped, he quickly fell onto his back to avoid getting splashed. Chris laughed from the other side, waving cheekily.
"Yoo-hoo! Over here! Check out the look on his face!"
Miranda also approached the lava pit, covering her mouth as her anxiety spiked.
"No way..."
"The only way to the top of the volcano is past this river of lava. That wheelbarrow probably won't be too helpful. All you have to do is hop across these stepping stones. Easy peasy, hot, and cheesy. But... we've rigged a few booby traps to...that's right!"
Both finalists rolled their eyes, answering the snarky host in unison.
"Make things more interesting..."
"Chef, a booby demo, if you please."
Chef cut a rope with his knife, making a log fall into the lava, and split right in two. Miranda gasped, shaking her head in disbelief. Alejandro's eyes widened with worry. He offered his hand to Miranda to hold, only for her to grip his arm anxiously.
"Yeah, you really don't want to get hit by those. Your helpers can either keep them secure or send them falling. It's your call. And go!"
Miranda quickly ran over and began lifting her dummy out of the wheelbarrow. Alejandro decided to wait for her, just to keep things relatively fair.
"You're waiting for me? Why?" she asked, pushing the wheelbarrow with her foot to move it.
"Well, of course, I wasn't going to help you, but I may as well give you some kind of shot of competing with me."
She scoffed. "Wow, you're just so chivalrous, aren't you?"
She did eventually get it in a good position to lift the dummy up over her shoulder. Once she was ready, they both began leaping across the stones.
"Chop away, ladies!" Alejandro called with a grin.
Courtney and Lindsay started to get to the ropes with their knives.
"N-No, don't! Stop them!" Miranda cried nervously.
DJ and Cody blocked the girls' path, making Courtney grumble frustratedly.
"Let us through!"
"Sorry, but not happening," DJ replied.
Cody got up on top of the log the ropes were tied to, pointing off excitedly in the distance.
"Look, there's a sale on mascara!"
Upon hearing this, Lindsay's clueless blue eyes lit up. She squealed happily and sprinted off into the jungle.
"Uh, there's no mall! We're in the jungle!" Courtney snarled.
"Do I have to do everything myself?!"
Courtney suddenly landed a hard kick on DJ's groin, making him stumble as Courtney chopped a rope. A large metal safe nearly landed directly on Alejandro's head, but he narrowly dodged it.
"Whoops! Which ropes are Team Alejandro's?"
"Chef?"
He shook his head unknowingly, making Chris laugh once more.
"Nice one."
Cody tackled Courtney to the ground, buying the racers some time before anything else could crash on their heads.
"Perhaps, it is time to admit you're outclassed. Maybe I'll throw you some pity cash." Alejandro cooed playfully.
Miranda snickered. "Pity cash? No way, José!"
That accursed name made Alejandro's anger boil over. He turned around in a flash, hopping back onto the stone in front of Miranda.
"What!? What did you just say? Never call me that again!"
Miranda didn't want to admit she was scared, but yes, she was terrified of his raised tone.
"W-What? What's the matter? What'd I say? I-I'm sorry...!"
"José always has to win, always! He lives to make me miserable. He punches me in the arm and calls me 'Al', just because I hate it!"
Miranda's eyes widened as her perspective shifted. His aggression began making sense in her mind. The way his brain ticked, the way he acted around others, his confidence...It was all due to a superiority complex from his brother. Truly the opposite of what Miranda was living with. It was no wonder they wouldn't see eye to eye on some deeper things.
Miranda was about to try and console him until Cody spoke up from across the way in a teasing manner.
"Al hates being called Al? Gosh, Al! Owen must've called Al 'Al' like, a thousand times, eh, Al? Poor Al!"
Alejandro yelled back at him. "Shut it!"
Miranda decided to take the chance and hop past him. It also caused his dummy to catch fire for a moment.
"Booby trap him!"
DJ got up, cut a rope, and made a cage trap Miranda in its strong, steel bars.
"No!" she cried defeatedly.
Seeing this made Alejandro recover quickly and successfully make his way across the river.
"I truly hope you live to see me win. Maybe once this game is over..."
"Now is not the time to flirt with me~!" Miranda whined anxiously.
"Don't flatter yourself! So long, señorita loser!" he laughed as he ran off.
"No, please! Just get me out of here!" she called desperately.
"Come on, Miranda! Are you just gonna let him win a million bucks?" Cody called encouragingly.
"Hurry! There's no time to lose!" DJ added.
"Guys, I don't wanna win...I never did. There's no point, I might as well give up here. It's fine."
"What!? No! Don't give up now, or the bad guy wins!" Cody exclaimed.
Miranda gritted her teeth, looking up at the two boys. Something in their eyes told her something, something she wasn't used to hearing in her mind.
"It's not too late!"
"You can do this!"
"Everyone believes in you!"
"Believe in yourself for once!"
"It's not over!"
Her breath hitched upon hearing these new voices. What...was this? She was so used to putting herself down at every chance available and now should've been no exception. This hope...this drive...was so foreign to her. It was like an angel had plopped onto her once-empty shoulder, combatting all the demons that were once in her place.
But another part of her wasn't scolding her like normal, rather, it was warning her.
"This is your last chance!"
"This is the end."
"Alejandro...you'll never see him again."
"If anything, say what's been on your mind all this time."
"You won't get another shot at it if you stay here!"
It was the combination of those words of hope and caution that ultimately motivated her to start pushing her entire body against the side of the cage. With the help of her dummy, the cage tipped over, the top popping open upon impact. She wasted no time climbing out with her dummy and running as fast as it would allow her to.
Upon the top of Kilauea volcano, the entire cast waited for the finalists to arrive, drenching in sweat from the lava's heat. Chris and Chef, however, were being cooled by giant ice cubes and fans. Chris held the million-dollar case in his hand, sipping a drink.
"So...know of any season three wrap parties?" Chris asked Chef awkwardly.
Chef just rolled his eyes and walked away. Thankfully for Chris, Alejandro was quickly approaching the top, curing his boredom.
"Here they come!"
With a triumphantly sinister grin, Alejandro jumped up onto the volcano's peak, catching the dummy in his arms.
"Looking for this?" Chris asked cheekily, the prize shimmering brightly in his hand.
Finally, all Alejandro had wanted was staring him right in the face. All his hard work, all the people he had to tear down, all the plans he'd so delicately crafted, it was all about to be worth it. He smirked deviously down at his dummy, picturing the beautiful woman it was inspired off of.
"Thanks for everything, dollface!"
He kissed the dummy, running over to the edge and lifting it over his head, his boot sliding slightly against the rock.
But, before he could throw it in, a desperate voice called behind him.
"Wait...!"
Miranda hopped up onto the cliff, pulling her dummy up behind her. She was nearly out of breath, and her legs were about to give out.
Alejandro grinned, turning around. "You are gorgeous when you've lost."
Miranda panted a bit more, trying to catch her breath before addressing him.
"I...I'm not here to stop you. You got here first, fair and square. You win, Alejandro. Congratulations. But, before you make it official...please, just hear me out...one more time. I have one more favor from London, right? Let me use it before it's all over."
Alejandro could tell that she was being serious, and not trying to deceive him. But there was a bit of anxiousness in her voice too like she didn't want him to win quite yet.
"Ah, yes. You do have one more, don't you? Well, I'll have to deny any favor regarding the money. As lovely as you are, that is the one thing I simply cannot allow."
Miranda shook her head insistently. "No, no, I told you. You win. I'm not trying to get in the way of that. I just...This might be the last time we ever see each other. And...I can't let this end without knowing what the truth is. Please, tell me. How do you really feel about me? About us? You have no reason to lie about it anymore, and neither do I. If I really am never gonna see you again..."
Alejandro's eyes widened as she spoke, noticing her enchanting blue eyes growing glassy with the idea of this being the end. He gently placed down his dummy and approached her.
"What makes you think we'll never see each other again?"
She shook her head unknowingly. "I-I don't know...I just...I don't want this to be over... That's why I need to know..."
The second he saw Miranda's lip start to quiver, Alejandro pulled her into a tight, secure hug. She took it back immediately, trying to hold back her tears.
Alejandro knew this moment would come, it was just a matter of when. But now that they were here, he wasn't quite sure how to go about it, especially now after everything. He had plenty of long tangents he could go off on to convey exactly how he felt. But something about doing it that way felt unremarkable. He wanted her to remember this.
Because when he remembered her, he remembered her dancing around the dressing room to Taylor Swift's music. He remembered laying on her lap and listening to her sing peacefully. He remembered watching her play the piano and hum to herself with a content grin on her face. He remembered the light in her beautiful blue eyes when she sang on that stage.
He refused to believe that he'd never see that sight again.
Miranda suddenly lifted her head from Alejandro's shoulder when he heard his voice softly singing, like a lullaby.
Morning, his place
Burnt toast, Sunday
You keep his shirt
He keeps his word
And for once you let go
Of your fears and your ghosts
One step, not much
But it said enough
She knew those words from anywhere. But at first, she was confused as to why he'd suddenly started singing them. But once she realized what future lyrics were coming, she covered her mouth, letting out a little whimper. She could hardly believe what was happening. She had an inkling that he felt this way, but it had always been buried by harsh denial and guilt. But...it was real...it was really real...
"W-What...?"
Alejandro grinned happily, continuing to sing as he pushed a piece of hair out of her face.
You kiss on sidewalks
You fight and you talk
One night, he wakes
Strange look on his face
Pauses then says
You're my best friend
And you knew what it was
He is in love
Miranda started to cry, watching him with widened, glassy eyes. Alejandro couldn't help but chuckle as he finished the verse.
"H-How do you even this song...?"
"I know it from you, dollface, why don't you sing it with me?"
Miranda shook her head, trying to signal that she was totally not in the emotional state to sing. But, Alejandro pulled her hand away from her mouth to reveal her tearful smile. His in turn was enough for her to at least try and shakily harmonize the chorus with him.
You can hear it in the silence, silence
You, you can feel it on the way home, way home
You, you can see it with the lights out, lights out
You are in love, true love
You are in love
Their voices both meshed together so perfectly. Miranda's shaky, bright voice highlighted the gentle smoothness of Alejandro's. As soon as they were finished, Miranda broke down crying once more in Alejandro's chest. Alejandro chuckled softly, hugging her once more. The peanut gallery couldn't help but coo sweetly at the entire moment.
"That was so sweet~" Katie hummed.
"I know, right?" Sadie squealed.
"Who would've thought?" Gwen snickered.
"Opposites attract, I guess!" Owen laughed.
Alejandro rubbed Miranda's back, relishing the feeling of having these pent-up feelings unloading off of his chest.
"Does that answer your question, dollface?"
Miranda lifted her head up, still shaking her head with disbelief.
"Really? No...you...you can't really be..."
Alejandro snickered at her denial, wiping away one of her many tears.
"I am."
"Are you sure...?" Miranda whimpered.
"Yes, Miranda. I'm more than sure. I've never been more certain of anything in my life. I am so...completely, irrevocably, effortlessly in love with you."
"No...shut up, you're not...!" Miranda whimpered, covering her mouth again to muffle her cries.
"Yes, I am, dollface. I could go on for the rest of my life telling you everything I adore about you. You've changed me. I've never been able to feel so much for a person. When I look at you, you know what I see? I see...the most beautiful, warm, angelic woman to ever grace this Earth. I see a light, brightening every setting she comes across. I see...the love of my life. The person who makes me want to take accountability and reflect on my heinous actions. I see my future. I see you...and I love you, so much, Miranda."
Miranda sniffled, trying desperately to regain her composure to respond to him.
"...I...Alejandro...~"
He chuckled, shushing her a bit. "It's alright, take your time~"
Miranda took a few deep breaths to steady her voice and pounding heartbeat. After a few moments, Miranda whimpered but began talking.
"...Me too. I'm in love with you too...And I know everyone's told me not to be...But no one...No one's ever made me like this before. No one's made me feel so...protected, and appreciated...You have no idea...how much you mean to me. I wouldn't be here without you...In this game, hell, on this fucking planet...! You make me want to stay alive, and no one's ever made me want that. You drive me up a wall every day...But there's not one day...I'd have it any different. I'd so rather you be bugging the shit out of me, than for you to suddenly vanish from my life forever. I love when you annoy me. I love when you get confident. I love seeing how you think, even if it's evil sometimes...I love the way you look at me, so softly...I love when you call me dollface, or gorgeous, or darling, all of it. I love you...I don't care what the world says anymore. I love you, Alejandro. More than anything..."
Alejandro's heart swelled as he listened to her ramble. Hearing her finally say the things he knew she'd been holding back all this time was almost more rewarding than winning this game. This day was really turning around in the best way possible.
"Well, if you truly feel that way... Miranda, my doll, my gorgeous girl, mi amor...It would be my honor and pleasure to have you as my girlfriend. What do you say?"
She chuckled through her tears. "Is it not obvious, Aries?"
"Oh, it is, I just want to hear it my gorgeous Libra's voice."
Miranda scoffed, giggling a bit. "Okay, okay...~ Yes, as long as you get to be my boyfriend."
Alejandro snickered softly, pulling her teary face close to his. "Oh, I most certainly can do that."
Miranda's smile beamed brightly, making Alejandro quickly lean in and kiss it off her gorgeous face. People in the peanut gallery couldn't help but cheer for them, despite Alejandro's previous behavior. It was clear that these two were a unit the entire season, so to see it finally be set in stone was honestly fulfilling to most. Plus, everyone knew Miranda was truly happy with Alejandro, and vice versa. They had both been broken in different ways, and seeing them together now was like seeing a shattered vase get glued back together. Satisfying.
After a minute or so, the two of them broke, both contently smiling at each other.
"I love you, Miranda, my gorgeous girl."
Miranda grinned widely, her cheeks flushed pink and still stained with happy tears.
"I love you too. Now go get that money."
"Are you sure? You're not gonna stop me?"
"No, you earned it. Sure, you were a massive dick about it, and I'm sure everyone's gonna be pissed...But you know what, it's what you came for. I don't need it. I'm already a winner."
"Well...if you so kindly insist. Although, what I do with this money, is entirely up to me. Who knows? You might see an influx in your bank account."
"Oh, please~ You don't have to give me any of it. It's yours."
"And so are you, correct?"
Miranda scoffed, her cheeks darkening further. "Stop..."
Alejandro chuckled and let go of her. He turned back towards the volcano and picked up the dummy he'd created. Miranda walked up to stand beside him, looking up at him with anticipation.
Alejandro grabbed onto one of her hands for support and threw in his dummy with his other arm. It splashed into the lava, nearly getting onto the peanut gallery.
But he didn't care, not in the slightest. He laughed triumphantly, lifting Miranda up into his arms to spin her.
"Yes~! We've done it! Victory is mine, at last!"
"And that's a cool million for Alejandro! The winner of Total! Drama! World Tour!"
Miranda laughed along with him, even after she was placed back down on the solid ground. She'd never seen him so excited, and the sight warmed her heart like a fire.
"Congratulations!" she squealed, hugging him excitedly.
Alejandro peppered her face with kisses as Chris came over to him with the million-dollar case. He popped it open to reveal the large wads of cash. Alejandro gasped with awe, snatching up the case with his free hand, still hugging Miranda.
"¡Qué hermosa! ¡Ustedes dos!"
But in the midst of the celebration, suddenly some locals came over to Chris.
"Oh, you didn't throw pineapples into the volcano did ya?"
"There are signs everywhere!"
The peanut gallery shuffled apart to reveal the blatant no pineapple signs they were covering.
"Oh, yeah. They really ruined the shot, so we put the human wall there."
"Don't you know what happens when pineapples meet lava?!"
The ground began to rumble and shake violently. With no warning, a feral Zeke tackled Alejandro, trying to snatch the case from his hands. The case and Miranda were knocked to the ground, landing very close to the edge of the volcano. Miranda gripped the case to keep it from falling. But once Ezekiel saw her with it, he lunged right at her and the case. Miranda screamed, feeling her balance stumble. One wrong move and she'd fall back into the lava.
Alejandro's eyes widened with horror at this, and he dashed over to try and pull Ezekiel off of her. With a strong pull, Alejandro was able to pull him off and toss him down into the lava. Unfortunately, he was still holding onto the case as he sunk down into the burning magma.
In that moment, though, Alejandro was only focused on the safety of his girlfriend, pulling her up and into a protective hug. She was trembling badly, and panting anxiously, but gripped Alejandro tightly in response. Chris looked into the volcano with disbelief.
"Woah, didn't see that coming. Anywho... RUN!!!"
The volcano began to erupt violently and everyone started to bolt down the mountain. The crowd was panicking and jumbled, not stopping or slowing down for anyone. Had anyone lost the pace, they'd be trampled in the frenzy.
Alejandro and Miranda had initially been attached by the hand as they ran, but as the crowd bunched up, their grip slipped apart. But they kept going...They had to...
But at one point, Alejandro felt himself trip over something, someone, he wasn't sure of it at that moment. And the incoming lava wave gave him no time to think about it as he was swallowed up by it. It was the most excruciating feeling he'd ever experienced in his entire life. It felt as though his skin was melting off of him. It was the closest feeling to death he'd ever known.
Everyone else made their way into the water safely, with Chris standing comfortably on a boat.
"See you next season, I guess! Probably with a whole new cast, 'cause let's face it. These guys are probably gonna melt. Until next time, I'm Chris McLean! And this has been Total! Drama!"
Chris was halted by a charred Zeke crashing into the boat, sinking it. Everyone laughed at the sight until lava rocks began hurling toward them, making them all scream and swim away frantically.
In the midst of all the chaos, Miranda was looking around for Alejandro, in a panic. She didn't see him anywhere in the water, and there was no response when she called out to him.
She turned back towards the beach to see a black, charred figure that had collapsed in the sand. A million terrified voices screamed in her mind. She felt her ears begin to ring like church bells as she started aimlessly paddling herself back to shore.
It felt as though it took her years to get back there, and when she did, she could hardly believe what she was seeing. Alejandro's skin was a mixture of tan, red, and black and his hair was nearly gone. His clothes were tattered and charred. He looked dead, quite frankly.
Miranda collapsed onto her knees and held his face with two hands. She couldn't find any words, she was too overcome with shock and trauma. Her eyes were completely void of any emotion, aside from the tears pouring down her cheeks. She couldn't even feel them, either. All she could feel was the scalding heat she was holding in her hands and her feverish heartbeat.
"...No..."
Chris eventually came riding back on a separate boat, driven by Chef.
"Ooh, yikes. Was going to tell Alejandro I had his money, but...looks like he's not gonna answer anytime soon."
"Money...? W-What are you...? Ezekiel..." Miranda was on the urge of a full meltdown, panting manically.
"Yeah, that was just a prop case for the cameras. This one's the real deal." He held up another silver briefcase, one identical to the one lost to the fire.
"Y-You have to help him...! Alejandro...! Oh, God...!!"
"Yeah, yeah, we have to. It's in the contract. Don't get your panties in a twist."
Chef wheeled out a stretcher from inside the boat, lifting Alejandro onto it.
"I-I...I'm coming too...I have to..."
"No, you have to get home. Contract says you're to be returned home the week of April eighth."
"I don't care...! What does it matter to you if I'm not with you? It doesn't matter where I go as long I'm not under your supervision...!"
"See, I'm all for that. It's your parents you should be worried about, not me." Chris answered casually.
Miranda pulled out and dialed a number on her phone, stepped onto the boat, and put it to her ear.
"Drive."
Chris shrugged as Chef began to maneuver the boat across the ocean.
It was hours of Miranda arguing with her parents on the phone, trying to convince them to let her stay with Alejandro for as long as necessary. But, like parents, like daughters, they were very stubborn.
"What?! No, absolutely not. You are coming home, it's been months, Miranda!"
"Once he's in the doctor's care, he's not going to need you there. Once he's better, by all means, go visit him! But, right now, you need to be on your way home. We need you here!"
"We just want our daughter home, is that so much to ask!?"
"The dog misses you like crazy, and the cats can't stay out of your room. Don't you want to see them?"
"How do you know he's even worth your time?"
Miranda had never been so furious with her parents before, and she'd never once lashed out on them, until now.
"I just do! You don't understand! You'll never understand! He needs me there with him! He was always, always there for me when I needed him! I'm not going to abandon him now when he's at his worst! He was with me for mine...I'd never be able to forgive myself if I wasn't there for his. And...there's a chance he might not even make it! If I leave, and he dies, I will never see him again! I know you guys want to see me, I get it, I do too. I miss you guys, I miss the cats, I miss the dog...But, I can't leave him until I know he's going to be okay. That's...what feels right. Please, just give me one more month, and I promise, I swear on my life, I'll come home, no questions asked."
"...This one's different than the others, isn't he?" her mom asked softly.
"Yes...! You've always told me to find someone, and...well, I think I did. Please, let me stay here for him." Miranda whimpered.
"...What do you think?"
"I mean, she sounds serious about this. We've waited this long. What's one more month? Sure, she'll miss Easter, but...She'll be home in time for Mother's Day."
"...You have exactly one month, Miranda. On May 8th, you'd better be home."
Miranda let out a breath of relief, wiping the tears off her cheeks once more.
"You guys are the best...! Thank you! I love you so much!"
"We love you, Randa." her mom answered tiredly.
"I love you, Randi!" her dad still had some cheeriness in his voice, despite the neverending arguments.
"I'll text or call you guys every day, I swear! I'll see you soon!"
She hung up the phone, sighing heavily. She was absolutely exhausted after all that yelling and arguing. She had to wonder how Alejandro was always able to persuade people so damn easily. She rested her head on Alejandro's torso and passed out until the boat docked on the next Hawaiian island over, Maui.
She was awoken by people moving the stretcher out of the boat and into the ambulance parked nearby. Miranda chose to ride with Alejandro there as well. She sat down on the bench with her hand holding his as the paramedics examined him.
"What exactly happened here?"
"A volcano eruption," she answered as calmly as she could muster.
Alejandro was hooked into IVs and wires all over his body. It was a little bit unsightly for Miranda to watch, but then again, everything about this was unsightly.
It was about a thirty-minute drive to the hospital, where Miranda was then banished to the waiting room. Well, banished was what it felt like, anyway. Minutes slowed significantly while she sat and waited, tapping her foot to take her mind off the worst-case scenario. She sent the details to her parents, and she tried listening to a podcast, anything to stop thinking. Normally, Alejandro was a huge help in that, but unfortunately, circumstances didn't allow for that. It was as if she was just camping out for her panic attacks to bombard her.
It wasn't until three hours had come and gone that a nurse called Miranda in to see him. When she heard her name, she nearly shot up from her chair like a bullet. She followed the nurse like a lost puppy.
"How is he?" she asked anxiously.
"Well, I will tell you that he is extremely lucky to even be alive right now. The burns are all third-degree, and he has a few broken bones in his arms and legs. We took x-rays on his ribcage because we think there may be something broken in there as well. But, we were very pleased to see that he doesn't seem to have any shock due to the burns, which can happen. With proper treatment, his burns should recover within three weeks, and his broken bones will be healed in three months minimum. Surgeries can speed up this process of course, but it will be straining and difficult on his body. That's entirely up to him."
Miranda nodded, taking a small breath of solace, hearing that he'd recover, just with time. The nurse led her into a small, mostly white room with Alejandro lying unconscious on the hospital bed. He was wrapped up in bandages from head to toe and his arms were full of IVs and cords. His heart monitor was going at a slow, steady pace.
Miranda started to cry the second she saw him. She went over to the bed and held onto his hand.
"Alejandro...I'm here, I'm here...I'm right here..."
"What is your relation to Alejandro?" the nurse asked curiously.
She sniffled. "He's my boyfriend."
It felt so sweet to say that, but her tone made the fact sound completely heartbreaking. The nurse looked at her with endearment.
"Of how long?"
She chuckled in spite of herself.
"As of today. But, we've been together for the past eight or nine months on a TV show. We just so happened to make it official today."
"Aw, how sweet. I'm so sorry this happened to him. I hope everything works out for the two of you. I'll leave you alone with him. Call if you need anything."
The nurse walked out, closing the door behind her. Once it was quiet, Miranda finally broke down, laying her head on his bandaged chest.
"I'm so sorry...This all is my fault. I should've held on tighter...Maybe then you'd be okay..."
"Please, please...wake up...Please talk to me...Call me dollface...Make fun of me for crying...something...I don't want this...I don't wanna live without you, you stupid, stupid Aries...!"
She sniffed, wiping tears off her face.
"You wanted me to sing with you...right? Here, I-I can sing...!"
She put a hand on his cheek and began to sing through her tears. It was hard to sing so clearly when her voice was breaking apart with every note But, she knew if he could hear, it would make him feel better.
One look, dark room
Meant just for you
Time moved too fast
You play it back
Buttons on a coat
Light-hearted joke
No proof, not much
But you saw enough
Small talk, he drives
Coffee at midnight
The light reflects
The chain on your neck
He says, "Look up"
And your shoulders brush
No proof, one touch
But you felt enough
She sang to him through tears for a solid hour before resting her voice. But she didn't let go of his hand, not even once. Not only was it bringing her peace of mind, but she knew it would be bringing him some too.
Finally, Miranda felt his hand grip hers as he groaned quietly. His eyes strained because of the fluorescent lights, but he didn't have his hand to cover his face. He turned his head to adjust his gaze on the girl holding his hand. He weakly smiled as he realized who it was.
"...Fancy seeing you here, dollface."
She couldn't help but chuckle through her tears.
"Alejandro...oh, thank goodness..."
She kissed the hand she held onto.
"How do you feel? Does anything hurt?"
He thought for a moment.
"...Not really, though my leg and arm are numb. Where...are we...?"
"The hospital. Don't you remember what happened? With the volcano?" she asked worriedly.
Alejandro's eyes eventually widened with horror as the traumatic memories flooded back into his hazy mind. But once they were there, he cursed under his breath, his voice shaking with devastation.
"Fuck...I am ruined..."
Miranda gritted her teeth, squeezing his hand.
"You can get it back, baby. We'll get through this together, I promise. It's gonna be okay."
He snickered upon hearing her call him baby. It was something he didn't expect to like, but when it came to Miranda, the sound was music to his ears.
"I think you're the one deserving of that title, baby~"
Miranda chuckled in spite of her tears, sniffling a bit.
"I... have one month with you before I have to fly back home. I fought on the phone with my parents for hours...But, I'm not leaving you yet. I can't. Not when you've saved my life. I wanna be here to save yours. I have to be here."
Alejandro grinned tiredly. "Thank you, mi amor...Now, you can sing to me every day."
"Y-You heard me?"
He verbally nodded. "I always do. Whether it's in my dreams, or in reality...Your voice follows me."
She blushed. "I-It's not that good...you make it sound so ethereal..."
Alejandro chuckled softly at her flustered pout.
"I love you..."
Miranda whimpered, more tears streaming down her cheeks.
"I love you..."
From then on, times in the hospital only got tougher. Procedures were intense, the routine became prevalent and physical therapy became a huge stress inducer. Every day their patience was tested, it was almost comparable to being on the show on some days.
Seeing Alejandro's confidence go back and forth meant Miranda had to be the optimist for once and encourage him to get through his obstacles. She wasn't used to being the positive one, but ever since they confessed to each other, she felt more capable of being that person for him. Her chest felt lighter, not by much, but enough to not be having panic attacks and suicidal thoughts every other day. She knew being strong for him would only benefit him, so anything for herself she put aside.
Alejandro hated almost every second of the recovery. He felt so unable to function that there was hardly a point to go on. But, he had her. He wanted Miranda to have the best of him once this was over, so he never gave up. The only moments he didn't despise were the nights alone with her, laying in the hospital bed and watching random television shows and videos. Those nights are what made him keep going. He wanted a simple, yet beautiful life with her, and he was willing to do everything he could to obtain that.
Despite all the rough days, Alejandro recovered relatively quickly from his condition. The burns were slowly fading, though they were pretty sensitive. His leg also made a quick recovery once he was on crutches. His arm and ribcage were still healing, but they were more of an annoyance than a hindrance. After three weeks of it all, he got the okay to go home. That was honestly one of the most rewarding days of his life.
Since Miranda had an extra week, she decided to go with him to Barcelona to meet his family. They'd FaceTimed over the phone plenty of times over the three weeks and they seemed lovely, and when the couple asked they seemed delighted to meet the girl.
Miranda and Alejandro's mother, Pamala, especially bonded fast over the phone, with them fawning over Alejandro constantly. They'd also poke lots of fun at him, to his dismay. But he was very happy they got along so well. His father, Sanchez, wasn't as eager to bond, but he was open to the idea of properly meeting her, especially if she was as special as his prized son had claimed.
Miranda had left the hospital at one point to get herself an outfit or three to wear since she only had her phone and wallet on her. She also bought Alejandro a simple outfit, just for the flight home.
"I wasn't sure what you wanted, so I just got a T-shirt and some jeans."
She pulled the clothes out of the bag to show him. Blue tee, black jeans.
He shrugged casually. "That will be fine, thank you, doll."
Her eyes lit up for a moment as she reached back into the bag.
"Oh! And I got this for you too."
She took out a black beanie hat, playfully explaining her purchase.
"I know, it's May, but you constantly complain about your patchy head!"
He snickered. "Mama talked you into that one, didn't she?"
"What? Nooo, not one bit." Miranda chuckled as she pulled it down onto his head.
"Aw, it looks so good on you~! Damn, once your hair grows out, that is going to be the vibe~"
She showed him what he looked like via her phone's front-facing camera. He smirked, adjusting the hat to his liking.
"I was unaware you had such good taste in men's fashion."
"I don't, to be honest. But I swear to God, beanies look good on literally everyone but me."
"Oh, I highly doubt that, come here~"
Alejandro took off the beanie as she came close, putting it on her head.
"You look so cute, muñeca. I don't know what you were talking about."
"No, look, it's just too big for my head, it looks weird~" She grimaced at her image.
"I think you pull it off, my doll. Once fall rolls around, you should try to wear them more." He played with her free hand.
"Maybe I need, like, a kid's one for my tiny head. Who knows?"
Alejandro pulled her towards him and kissed her cheek softly.
"I just can't wait to go home with you, gorgeous..."
She smiled sweetly. "Me too, honey."
A/N (written in December 2019): Good god we've made it to the end. (WHAT THE HELL HOW ARE WE HERE ALREADY) We've got Aleanda yay! I know this end bit was super long, but I have something else planned for the epilogue so stay tuned! I just can't believe we're at the end, oh my god. I actually took a long break from typing this, and coming back to it again feels crazy. Coming back to Total Drama makes my heart warm and fuzzy, I still adore it. I just want to take a quick moment to thank you for your support, whether it's a like, a comment, a read, or anything. I really, truly appreciate it. This story has been a complete joy to write and I'm so happy with its outcome. So, I hope you guys like it too. Stay tuned for a fluffy ending to this angsty story. <3 ~Miranda