Circling the Edge of the Neverending

by singyourmelody

It was something in the way he was walking away that annoyed her. Like he was triumphant. Like he had won and she had lost. She should have let it go, but, as she always found with Chad Dylan Cooper, she could never let things go. Sonny/Chad Oneshot

"Circling the Edge of the Neverending"

By: singyourmelody

Disclaimer: I do not own any "Sonny with a Chance" characters or the song lyrics, which are taken from The New Pornographers' song "Adventures in Solitude." It's my current favorite. I don't really know a lot about the movie business or the TV business so hopefully none of my details or plot points are too unbelievable. This is my first "Sonny with a Chance" fic, so we'll see how it goes!

"Balancing on one wounded wing

Circling the edge of the neverending

The best of the vanished marvels have gathered inside your door"

~The New Pornographers

Sonny Munroe slung her bag over her shoulder and straightened her long, flowing peasant skirt. She inhaled deeply and took in her surroundings. She had been in Italy for a month and had instantly loved how the crisp countryside air reminded her of Wisconsin. On her days off, she would explore the small villages near the city, trying to embrace as much of the culture and the people as possible, while she was there.

"Buongiorno!" she said to the barista as she walked past her favorite café. She only knew a few Italian phrases but used them whenever she could. It made her feel as if she was part of this country, if only in a small way.

He waved. "Buongiorno."

She wandered around the village streets for a few more hours, taking pictures and admiring the local craftsmanship before catching the bus back into the city. She was due on set early the next morning and it was one of her biggest scenes. It didn't happen often, but Sonny was nervous. It was not only her first on-screen kiss, but her first kiss ever. She did not know her co-star very well and worse, she didn't really have anyone to talk to about it. She longed for the days when she and Tawni would hang out in their dressing room between rehearsals. Or the lunches in the dining room where Nico and Grady would fight over the last hot dog. Since she had joined the cast of "So Random!" Sonny had found her niche, her family. She loved it there. Which is why she had been so uncertain if she should audition for this movie in the first place.

Her agent had passed the script to her and she was excited about the possibilities of doing a film. It was a love story that spanned generations and Sonny would audition for the part of the young "Samantha," a rebellious, impetuous, wild child who moves to a new town and meets the upstanding, local golden boy. Naturally the two hate each other, then become friends, then fall in love. That was only part of the story though, which was what Sonny loved about it. It wasn't your typical happily ever after. The young couple is separated and ends up meeting years later, reconnecting, even though they had led such different lives.

She was impressed by the plot and agreed to the audition. And then she got the call-back and a second audition. And then the phone call. If she wanted it, the part was hers. The timing was perfect, since they were just wrapping the current season of "So Random!" and were going on a two and a half month hiatus. All she had to do was say "yes."

She deliberated the decision for a week. Explained it all to her mother. Made "pros" and "cons" lists. Talked through it with Tawni, whose only thoughts on the subject were "They didn't want me to audition? Well then you have to do it. What's to think about?" Nico and Grady were supportive, for the two minutes she had their attention, anyway. Zora, as usual, wasn't around for her to ask. So there was really only one other person to talk to. And as much as she didn't want to admit it, she did care what he thought. She wandered over to "The Falls" after her second to last day of shooting "So Random!".

She knocked on his dressing room door.

"Identify yourself and what you can do for me," a voice from the other side of the door said.

"Sonny Munroe and I will never do anything--" she said as the door swung open.

"Sonny."

"Chad."

They stood there for a moment.

"Can I come in?" she asked as he said, "What are you doing here?"

She laughed awkwardly as he opened the door farther for her to enter.

"Chad, I wanted your advice."

He stared at her. "My advice."

"Yes. As a more, well, experienced, actor, shall we say, I wanted to ask how you know whether or not you should take a part," she asked, as she sat on his tan, leather couch.

"I didn't say you could sit."

She glared at him, but did not move.

"Answer the question, Chad."

"You got a new role? You're leaving Chuckle City?" he asked, disbelief covering his face.

"What? No! This is a movie role. And I can film it while 'So Random!' is on break. And it's kinda a big deal. And I'll be working with some really awesome, famous actors and I think I should do it, but I just don't know. So I'm here and I want your advice," she finished, looking directly into his eyes.

His own eyes narrowed. "You seriously want my advice?"

"Well, yeah. You've been acting much longer than I have and this would be my first movie role, and I just want to know what you think." He still looked skeptical, so she continued, "Don't look so surprised, Chad. Even I know that sometimes, sometimes, normal, helpful things come out of your mouth. These instances are few and far between, so why don't we consider this your opportunity to get out all of your niceness towards me before we go our separate ways during break?"

He sighed before pulling up a chair and asked, "So what is the part?"

They spent the next twenty minutes going over the specifics of the role, how it could make Sonny grow as an actress, what it could mean for exposure, and how it would look on her acting resume.

"I don't know Munroe, it sounds pretty perfect," he said finally, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms. "You should do it. What else were you going to do with your time off?"

"I forgot to mention one minor detail: the shoot is in Italy. . ." she said, as she looked at her hands.

"Italy? Italy is amazing," he choked out. He paused for a moment, before finally saying, "Why are you even here, Sonny? You know what you should do."

She stared at a spot on the floor for a moment before standing. "You're right. I'm taking it. Thanks, Chad." Sonny said as she turned towards the door and opened it. She looked back at Chad, standing there, hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked almost bashful. She wanted to freeze time for a moment and keep him just like that.

"Well, you know how I like to help charity cases like yourself. I should get the cameras in here. This could make a great story: 'Seasoned Actor Offers Advice to Lowly Wannabe Thespian,'" he said, completely shattering the atmosphere.

Sonny let go of the door handle, walked up to him, and placed her arms around him. He tensed up at first, but after a few seconds, brought his arms up and around her waist. They stayed like that for only a fleeting moment before Sonny stepped back.

"Have a great break, Chad. I'll be seeing you," she said before heading back to her dressing room.

Three phone calls later to her mother, her agent, and an airline, and Sonny Munroe was headed off on the second big journey of her life.

Because of work commitments, her mother couldn't stay with her on the set the whole time, so Sonny found she had a lot of free time to herself. She was only in half of the movie, the younger generation part, and was therefore often given entire days off. Initially, she reveled in the freedom. But after the first few weeks, it began to grow lonesome. She called home every day, but missed her friends and having that face-to-face interaction.

She walked through the lobby of the hotel, before stopping at the front desk.

"Hello, Maria, do I have any messages today?" she asked the concierge.

"Well, hello Miss Sonny. How are you today?" Maria responded. She was a woman in her mid forties and was always kind to Sonny, especially during her first few weeks on the set, when she was the most homesick.

"Doing well, thank you. And yourself?" Sonny answered politely.

"Well, you know how Mondays go. . ." Maria answered with a wink. "No messages today, I'm afraid, but there was a package delivered for you."

"A package? Really?" she exclaimed, practically feeling her face light up.

"Yes, I placed it in the smaller parlor for you. I think you're really going to like it."

"Thanks, Maria!" Sonny responded before heading off to the adjacent parlor. She didn't often get packages.

She let herself in and shut the door quietly behind her.

"You know, just because you are filming in the Italian countryside, doesn't mean you have to dress like a peasant."

Sonny knew who that voice belonged to. Slowly, she turned around.

"Chad?" she asked, her wobbly voice barely masking her utter disbelief. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, my family's on vacation right now. We're doing a five city tour of Italy before proceeding on to France, England, Spain, and Budapest," he said, nonchalantly.

"You do realize that Budapest isn't a country, right?" she questioned.

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny," he said. "Do I look like someone who would distinguish between cities and countries?" he said shaking his head.

She rolled her eyes. They stood in silence.

Finally Sonny said, "So you are in Italy on vacation and you make a point to come see me?" A small smile tugged at her lips.

He shrugged. "You were on the way."

"Well, either way, I'm glad you're here."

"You are?"

"Yeah, I've really missed . . . everybody. Listen, I'm starved, do you want to go get dinner at the hotel restaurant?" she asked.

"Are you asking me on a date?" he questioned, a mischievous gleam in his eyes.

"What? No! You're paying your own way, man," she countered as they headed downstairs to the eatery.

"So is this shoot everything you thought it would be?" Chad asked after they were seated.

"Well the work is great," she said. "I love playing Samantha, the younger version anyway. She fiery and states her mind. She's not afraid to go after what she wants and I wish—" Sonny stopped talking when she realized that Chad was no longer listening to her, but instead staring at something behind her. "What is it?" she said, turning around to see actress Raquel Bylson walking down the hall.

"That's Raquel Bylson!" Chad whispered.

"I know," Sonny stated dryly. "She plays adult Samantha."

"She's the grown up you?"

"Yup. Why? Do you not think it works? I mean, we don't look exactly alike; she's much prettier than I am, but I think it's still believable. . ." she trailed off.

"It works," Chad said, looking back down at the menu. Sonny smiled to herself as the waitress came to take their order.

"It was really nice of you to come see me. I know I'm not your favorite person, but I've kinda missed my life back at the studio, you know?" she said, as they finished eating.

"No. I don't know. I mean, it's a job right?" he replied.

She stared at him. "Just a job, huh? A job that happens to bring you money and fame and the ability to write and film your own life story. I'm pretty sure no one would care about 'The Chad Dylan Cooper Story' if you weren't involved with 'Mackenzie Falls.'"

"Maybe. Maybe not. I am a pretty interesting guy, you know," he said.

Sonny glanced down at her watch. "I've got to get to bed, Chad. Thanks again for coming to see me." She pulled out her wallet, dropped a few bills on the table, and headed for her room.

"You're going to bed? It's 8:00!" Chad said, following her.

"I know, but I have my biggest day of shooting tomorrow."

"Ooh, what scene is it? The one where young Samantha finally admits her feelings to her young suitor, complete with making out?" He said sarcastically as they arrived at her room door.

Sonny tensed up.

"Aha. It is that scene," he said, smirking.

"How did you know that?" she questioned.

"I'm Chad Dylan Cooper. I know the entertainment biz."

She rolled her eyes yet again. That seemed to happen a lot when she was in Chad's presence.

She slid her room key into the slot and felt the door gently click open.

"Well, goodnight," Sonny said.

"Wait. You never told me who your co-star was. Who does the great Sonny Munroe have to kiss on camera?" he asked, wiggling his eyebrows up and down.

"I might hate you, you know," she said, turning and entering her room.

"Dodging the question . . ." Chad said, as he followed her in.

"Fine, if you must know. It's Brad Michael Trooper."

Chad coughed loudly. "BRAD MICHAEL TROOPER? Are you kidding me? That pathetic excuse for an actor is your LOVE interest? I have to say, I am sorry for you, Sonny."

"Why?" she asked innocently. "He quite adorable and has been the perfect gentleman in all of our scenes together so far." Okay, so that wasn't completely true. Brad wasn't horrible to work with, but he never spoke to her outside of the scene. She barely knew him. And in less than twenty four hours, she was going to have to kiss him. She could feel the nerves bubbling up inside of her stomach again.

"Well, if that's how you like them," Chad said, a twinge of bitterness in his voice.

"I don't like him like him. He's just a friend," she said. Chad looked relieved. She inwardly laughed and knew she couldn't let him off that easily. "A friend who I have to kiss tomorrow for who knows how long, but still, just a friend."

Chad looked away and grimaced.

"Are you okay Chad?" she asked, smiling. "You're not jealous or anything, are you?"

"Jealous? Of that bottom dweller's attempt at acting? I never thought I'd say this, but I actually feel sorry for your mouth."

"Hmm. . ." Sonny said.

"So how are you going to do it?"

"Do what?"

"Kiss him."

"Oh, um, well, I think we're going to practicebeforehand so we can work it out then."

"Huh."

"Huh, what?" she asked.

"You're nervous about kissing him aren't you?"

"What?" Sonny produced a nervous laugh. "Of course not. I am a professional."

"Mmhmm. So is he going to take your hand, like this?" he asked, reaching for her hand.

"I don't know."

"Or maybe he'll tuck your hair behind your ear, like this," he said, doing the same.

Sonny's breath caught in her throat. She could feel him so close to her. She hated it and yet couldn't make herself want to pull away.

"And then at the right moment, he'll lean down. . ." he said, leaning into. . .

. . . thin air, as Sonny had safely removed herself from his grasp.

"Um, I'm sure he'll do whatever the script tells him to do," she said, back pressed against the wall.

"Sonny, Sonny, Sonny. Did you really think I was going to kiss you right now? Please," he said, as he sauntered towards the door.

It was something in the way he was walking away that annoyed her. Like he was triumphant. Like he had won and she had lost. She should have let it go, but somehow, as she always found with Chad Dylan Cooper, she could never let things go.

So instead she took a few steps towards him and said, "Did you want to kiss me right now?"

He stopped, his back still facing her, but did not respond. She had just veered into dangerous territory. They both knew there was something between them. It was why she constantly pushed his buttons yet also made excuses for his behavior. It was why he never stopped teasing her and why he came to visit her in a foreign country. It was there. But it wasn't spoken of. Ever.

And yet she had just uttered the words.

Finally he turned around to look at her. Their eyes met for just a moment before they were walking towards each other, him gently grabbing her face and pulling her mouth towards his. It took half a second for her to respond, and suddenly it was like a raging fire. Hands in hair, bunching clothes, on shoulders, interlocking. They were moving backward until she was completely pressed up against the wall and he was completely pressed up against her. Her lips moved from his, trailing up his cheekbone and almost to his ear before returning once again to his mouth. They kissed for a few more stolen moments before the need for oxygen made them break apart. He took a step back and looked at her.

He leaned in again, lightly kissing her lips and then whispered in her ear, "See you in the States," before letting himself out of the room.

She closed her eyes and then collapsed onto her bed, a wide grin refusing to leave her face.

Sonny showed up early to the set the next day. Kevin, the director, was already there.

"Hi Kevin," she said as she took off her coat.

"Good morning, Sonny. Are you ready for today?" he asked her as he moved a few props.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Well, I know you were a little nervous about your kissing scene with Brad . . . did you want to talk about it at all?"

"You know, Kevin, I'm not so worried about it anymore." She smiled to herself. "I'll be fine and it'll be an adventure, right?" she said.

"Right. That's what I love about you, Sonny. Always seeing the positive side of things," he said before going off to talk to one of the cameramen.

Sonny thought over the events of the night before. She could practically still feel Chad's fingers laced with hers.

"Yes, it's definitely going to be one heck of an adventure," she said to herself, pulling out her script and looking over the lines for the day.

A/N: Well that's the end! This turned out to be way longer than I was anticipating, but that's okay, I suppose. Please let me know what you think. I've never written for Sonny or Chad and I tried really hard to keep them in character. Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! Love to all!