PLEASE READ THE AUTHOR'S NOTE. IT'S IMPORTANT.

A/N: Coinciding with the cancellation of my version of season 3 of SWAC, I've decided to write one last one-shot for the SWAC fandom as a goodbye. This fandom is what got me into writing fanfiction and really made me feel like I was a part of a group. I made friends in this fandom that I don't hope to lose anytime soon.

After being in this fandom for years, and after Demi Lovato's departure from the show, I began to grow apart from the fandom and from the story because it was painful to think of how the show ended.

I will always love SWAC and Demi Lovato is still one of my favorite singers but I just can't feel the same passion for being in the fandom that I used to. Channy will always be one of my ships but I can't say it's my OTP anymore.

I'm sorry.

Disclaimer: For the final time, I don't own and never will own SWAC.

…

Closing Curtains and Final Bows

Sonny walked through the airport, a solemn expression masking her once smiley and enthusiastic face. Tears stung her eyes and she felt like she'd been kicked in the chest, for her heart hurt much too badly.

The gate for her flight stood in front of her, just 20 steps away. Soon, she'd be flying away from Hollywood and the pain it had caused. She gave her luggage a tug, sucked in a shaky breath and continued forward, ready to show the woman at the desk her ticket and leave for good.

Something made her halt in her steps and spin around. It was a feeling, a pricking at her neck or a feeling in her gut, but it made her turn around to find Chad, in all his glory.

"Hey…" He stood there awkwardly, hands in the pockets of his brown leather jacket. His hair was mussed and strands stuck up in all directions. He had 5 o'clock shadow all around his chin and the whites of his eyes were tinted pink, from crying or maybe lack of sleep, Sonny couldn't guess. Even then, he was as gorgeous as always.

Sonny opened her mouth a crack but only a tiny creak came out. She shut her eyes and frowned harder as a tear fell over her lower eye lid and rolled down her cheek. Her dark hair followed her motions as she shook her head, starting to shake from the tears.

"I can't do this Chad. I'm leaving," she whispered, her voice cracking on 'Chad'. He reached out to her as if to beg her to stay but dropped his arm, letting his right hand up to his hair to run his fingers through it disappointedly. His hair became even more of a mess as he continued to clutch at the strands.

He'd changed more than he'd like to admit.

"Sonny… please stay. We all need you. I need you." His voice was hoarse and sounded like he'd been screaming, or maybe crying.

Sonny let out a laugh. It shook and tears rolled down her cheeks in fat droplets. It was a bitter and heartbroken laugh, like all her dreams had been crushed, like everything had fallen down around her like dominos, stacked only to be knocked down.

Her laughter turned to sobs that shook her from her head to her toes. Her stomach ached and her head throbbed but she couldn't stop. Chad took the last few steps toward her and pulled her close as she cried, whispering soothing words into her ear.

Eyes all over were watching them, waiting for something they weren't quite sure of. A kiss? For her to slap him and run, maybe?

Finally, she pulled away, her cheeks red and tear stained and strands of hair ticking to her face in random spots. She sniffled and took a step back from Chad, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

"You don't get it, Chad. They don't need me. You don't need me. You'll all be fine. I'll keep in touch with the randoms. I'll write. You'll find someone else. You'll fall in love again. But I can't stay here. Being here hurts too much. You have to let me go." As she spoke, her eyes never once left Chads', not even as more tears pooled and overflowed.

Chad looked at the floor, a single tear falling from his own eye. He looked up once again to meet her eyes and when he spoke, his lips trembled.

"What if I don't want to let you go? Sonny, I love you…"

"Chad, please stop. You already know how I feel about you. But you have to let me go. How did you even get past security anyways? Without a ticket- Chad, you can't get on that flight with me. Let me go."

Chad's shoulder fell, the gravity of her decision fully setting in. She was leaving, and she wasn't coming back. There was nothing he could do to convince her.

Sonny noticed the way the light left his eyes completely as her words registered in his mind and she took the step back to him, wrapping her arms around his torso in a last.

FLIGHT 439 WILL DEPART IN 5 MINUTES

ALL PASSENGERS MUST BOARD NOW

Sonny glanced to the doors leading to the plane and back to Chad, who stared forlornly at her. His bloodshot eyes were glazed over and his arms hung limply around her. Slowly, she rose onto her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. It was soft and short and full of love, and sadness.

Untangling herself from his embrace, she grabbed her suitcase and gave one last glance at him as he stood, hopelessly watching, before turning and walking to her gate, readily pulling out her ticket to be shown.

She entered the doors and they were closed behind her, signifying possibly the last Chad would see of Sonny Munroe.

If he didn't know any better, he would say that his heart had a scar right down the middle from being broken.

If he didn't know any better, he'd say she'd come back.

…

A/N: And that, my dear followers is the end of my legacy as a SWAC fanfic writer. You can imagine whatever you like that could've caused Sonny to want to leave Hollywood for good because I left it pretty vague.

This is my final goodbye to all my dear SWAC fandom readers. It's been really great…