Title: The Distance Apart
Summary: Walking away from each other was never hard for either of them, but staying away was another story. Post-"New Girl"/Future one-shot. Channy, of course.
Rating: T
Disclaimer: If you recognize it, I don't own it.
A/N: So…it's been a while, huh? I was in the mood to write something Channy-related and I went from there. This starts from the last scene of tv series and goes into the future from there. It might be kind of OOC, but I'm aging them as the story progresses so hopefully it will make sense (They're about 21 by the end). Also, I know Sonny is from Wisconsin, but I don't know the exact city, so I just said it was Madison. I hope you guys enjoy reading this!
Also, for anyone looking for Behind Closed (Closet) Doors, I'm actually starting to work on it again! I've edited it so it's taking a different direction than before, but a new chapter will be up soon. Thanks so much to everyone who read the story and reviewed/favorited/alerted. You guy are amazing!
When he walked away from her, she saw a look of sadness across his features that mirrored her own. As the clicking of her heels filled the silence of the corridors, she shook her head and let out a long overdue sigh. It's not that she couldn't forgive him. Just staring into Chad's eyes for a second made her go weak at the knees. She'd probably accept his apologies a million times over if he just looked into her eyes long enough.
But she was strong; she wasn't going to be one of those girls who fell to his feet just because he stared into her eyes. If he couldn't understand why she needed some space, she couldn't be with him. She knew Chad had been egocentric, but with her, he was always different. She believed he could change because she had seen him with her. Even though he could be self-centered at times, he was sweet and romantic. His ideas might not have always worked out right in the end, but his underlying intent was always good. And she could get over his condescending attitude towards her friends because honestly, it was a mutual feeling with her own friends.
The Tween Choice Awards changed that though, and she realized that she was in over her head. Chad didn't want to be with her. He proved that when he couldn't handle someone else being in the spotlight other than himself. If he couldn't stand to see her in the limelight, how could they be equals in this relationship? How could this relationship last?
When she sat down in the prop room, she finally concluded that even though they both loved each other, this time apart would be good for the both of them.
Things don't always go as people plan though. It wasn't on purpose honestly. Chad had stopped chasing after her, pressuring her into getting back together with him, and she had stopped being hung up on their breakup and moved on. Their busy work schedules and social life with their own respective friends certainly helped, leaving little time for anything else. What she thought would be weeks turned into months, and by the summer, they were still passing each other in the studio with an awkward smile and hesitant side-step.
"Hey," he greeted, as they bumped into each other.
"Hi," she responded back. There was a drawn-out pause.
"So…" they both started at the same time.
"You first," he half-chuckled. She offered him an sheepish smile.
"How's everything at the Falls?" she asked politely.
"Good…great. How's everything at So Random!?"
"Good, good. We're working on a new sketch," she nodded.
"Good. I'm glad," he said. There was another long, heavy silence.
"Well, I should get going…Our live show is about to shoot," Sonny began, tugging at the hem of her shirt nervously.
"Oh, yeah of course," he waved off as if it was nothing, "I'll catch up with you later then."
"Yeah, okay," she said, as she walked off into the opposite direction.
And that's how most of their short-lived meetings went. In those few short conversations, she couldn't gauge whether he had really changed, and she couldn't tell where she stood with him. Even if they longed to be together, their meetings were an indication that they were still as far apart as ever.
Chad started leaving roses on her dressing room chair in the middle of October. Why the sudden change of heart, she had no idea, but she wasn't going to give into him so easily. Especially when he hadn't even admitted it was him who was sending them.
But when he starts making a fool of himself on national television, telling everyone he loved her in a banana suit no less, she started to take notice. For someone like Chad Dylan Cooper, whose fame and image was his number one priority (or used to be at least), this was a big deal.
The last thing she expected from him was for him to show up on her set.
He walked up to her during her break and his eyes commanded her attention.
"I think we've been apart long enough." Sonny paused for what seemed to be an eternity, speechless at his words and his boldness.
When he leaned in to kiss her, staring into her eyes, she felt her body stiffen and her body freeze in place. He pulled her head forward and brushed his lips to hers. It was feather-light, as if he barely touched her. She felt like she was floating in mid-air, swept away by the gentle breeze. But when he pressed into her harder, massaging her lips with his own and willing them to open for her, she gasped into him, tightening her grip on his arms as her knees began to collapse from under her. As he pulled away, Sonny let go instantly and brought her fingers to her lips.
"I – I need to think about it," she blurted out, stumbling over her own feet as she ran anywhere away from him.
In reality, she doesn't need to think about it at all. She was just caught off guard by his kiss. They had never kissed like that before.
When she knocked on his dressing room door the next day, she planted a sweet kiss on his cheek, much to his pleasant surprise.
"How did you know that bananas were my favorite?" she teased. He shrugged and hugged her tightly.
Almost a year had passed, when Sonny flopped onto her bed and breathed a deep sigh of relief that the day was over. She was exhausted. Tawni was an emotional wreck after her current boyfriend had stood her up at a restaurant downtown and Sonny had to pick her up. She heard her phone ring suddenly and she went to answer it.
"Hello Chad," she smiled, happy to hear his voice. They had now been together for almost a year.
"Do you know what today was?" She paused a bit, and slapped her forehead. They were supposed to be on a date right now.
"Chad, I – " Sonny spoke, guilt washing over her.
"What happened?"
"Tawni got stood up. She needed a ride from Chez Louis."
"I'm sorry, Chad. I totally forgot. It won't happen again."
"You said that last time," Chad replied sadly.
"This time, I promise." She was willing to admit that she wasn't the best girlfriend in the world. The last few months had been hectic and she had forgotten a few dates and their 6-month anniversary a while back. But she was never doing it on purpose.
"No, Sonny. You told me before that I wasn't treating you as an equal. Well, you're not either."
"I didn't – " She had never heard him get so worked up about something.
"I thought I could get over it, but I can't. You don't put us first. You could care less about us," he went on.
"That's not true!"
"Is it not, Sonny? You forgot our date two weeks ago," he pointed out.
"I told you that Nico and Grady got themselves into – "
"This isn't about Nico and Grady, or any of your other friends, Sonny! This is about you and me. This is about how I'm always giving you everything. I'm giving you a moonlit dinner on the beach with a whole goddamn orchestra. All you have to do is show up and you can't even manage to do that!"
"I didn't realize this was a contest in spending habits, Chad!" Sonny grew frustrated. They were her friends and they needed her. Couldn't he see that?
"You're missing my point," he sighed exasperatedly, "You're obviously not into this relationship as much as I thought you were."
"What are you talking about? So I forgot a couple of dates…I'll write it on my forehead the next time to remember."
"The fact that you need to write it on your forehead implies that you aren't invested in this relationship."
"Chad. You're being really unfair."
"You're always on your own adventure, always so determined to do everything that you forget about us."
"I'm sorry, Chad. How many times do I have to say it?"
"I think we need to take a break," he sighed, putting his head in his hands. There's silence on the other end, and if it weren't for the slight breathing in the background, she could have sworn he hung up on her.
"What are you saying?" Sonny asked quietly. She's shocked. She doesn't know how to react or even what she should be reacting to – the fact that they're about to break up again or the fact that he doesn't think she loves him as much as he loves her.
"You heard me." His voice is quiet, but his tone is steady and firm.
"I thought everything was okay," Sonny choked out, tears welling up in her eyes now.
"I thought so too at first…but it's not."
"Please, Chad. Let's just fix this. You really don't mean any of this," Sonny begged.
"We've been together for a year now, and you can't manage to show up for our dates or put aside your time for me on the weekends."
"I told you that I have so many other unexpected – " she began barely above a whisper, tears falling freely on her cheeks.
"It's like you don't remember you're in this relationship, Sonny." She doesn't say anything. She doesn't want to admit that there's some truth to it.
"Maybe – maybe it's best that we break up for a bit…until we figure out what we want from this relationship." She just nodded her head numbly to no one as she heard the click tone on the other end.
When she lied down onto her bed, she wept softly into her pillow. Not because he broke up with her, but because she couldn't help but feel responsible for it.
She had realized that she was walking away from them long before he broke it off that night.
The next time she walked away, it was going to be for good.
So Random! had shot its final episode; people didn't find the show to be as appealing when everyone started reaching their early twenties. In the time afterwards, Sonny realized that she missed her hometown and the simple life she had there. In other words, she was heading back to Wisconsin with her mom.
She had said her farewells to her friends who became her family over the years, but she knew it wasn't goodbye. She would see them again someday when she was back on the West Coast, and she would continue to keep in touch with them by phone until then.
But she couldn't deny the yearning in her heart to see him again, one last time.
After their last break-up, neither had even given the other a passing glance in the studio. It was too difficult to face him without telling him he was right about her, that she was never as invested in their relationship as he was. She moved on with other guys and she the last time she read the gossip mags, he was still in a serious relationship with one of his new co-stars.
But time did make the heart grow fonder, and she realized that they were both better together than apart. She knew he had changed. He was no longer the Chad Dylan Cooper of old. He had grown up a lot. And she had grown up too. She didn't take on more than she could handle and she certainly didn't take anyone for granted anymore. It was just too bad it took her five years to realize it.
When she threw her bags into the taxi, she considered saying goodbye to him. Her mom just nodded her head encouragingly, and told the taxi driver that they had to make a stop at the studio first.
The ride was relatively short, and she got out of the taxi to head back into the studio to face the one person who she didn't want to say goodbye to.
Because she knew that if she said goodbye to him, it would really mean the end for them.
She couldn't do it. She walked out the door and back to the taxi, and she never looked back.
She didn't want to say goodbye to him forever.
Sonny was ready to leave everything behind in the city, until she saw him at the gate, his hands in his pockets and his eyes on the floor. Her heart stopped.
She didn't register anything that was going on around her until her mom pushed her towards him.
"What are you doing here?" she breathed.
"I heard you were leaving," Chad said.
"Yeah…I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye, but I just…" she trailed off.
"It's okay," he assured. She just nodded, not knowing what to say.
"I don't want you to go," he started. She looked at him with wide eyes. "I know it's selfish of me and everything, but you're – I love you. I want to be selfish with you."
"Chad…" she whispered.
"Stay," he whispered, brushing away a strand of hair from her face.
"My mom…" she made an excuse.
"Is waving goodbye to you," he finished. Sonny looked over to her overly ecstatic mom, who seemed to be trying to get a refund on her ticket already.
"We can't just jump into this like before," she warned.
"I know," he replied simply, "But we've changed. We went through all of this and yet we still love each other. It means something. Maybe we aren't the same Chad Dylan Cooper and Sonny Munroe when we first got together, but we're not that different either. I like the sun hitting my back on a warm July afternoon; you still like the cold rain on a fall day." He grabbed her hands to lace his fingers into hers.
"You still like gummy bears in your ice cream and I still like Oreos in mine," Sonny continued, a smile forming on her lips.
"You remember that I like gummy bears on my ice cream?" he smiled back.
"You eat all the orange ones first…" she recalled, laughing a little bit before being interrupted.
"Last call for Flight 81 to Madison."
He stared at her, his eyebrows raised. She stared at the gate, considering his offer.
"Can I stay at your place?" Sonny asked with a smile. He grinned in return, kissing her lightly on the lips.
"Anytime."
They weren't walking away this time; they were holding onto each other and never letting go.
A/N2: I hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review!