Disclaimer: I don't own 'SWAC'

Part 1: Tweenies


Still enthralled in the present, Sonny wandered the halls of the studio aimlessly, subconsciously headed for the set where she guessed the others were rehearsing. She was sure she'd heard them mention something about it back in the Prop House before. Taking the long route so she wouldn't walk into too many people, she found herself walking down the long entrance to the studios, show banners lining the maroon walkway. She grinned at the So Random poster, pointedly ignored the brooding Chad image of the Mackenzie Falls poster and shot the other three a glance, wondering why she'd never actually watched them before. With a shake of her head she looked up and came face to face with Chad, grinning stupidly. She took a step back with a small 'yugh' sound escaping her lips before she realised with a sigh of relief it was just a picture beaming out at her from the front of Tween Weekly magazine. But then the magazine lowered and Sonny found herself looking at the real Chad, minus the stupid grin. He frowned at her softly. "Monroe."

"Chad." She glanced at the magazine. "Admiring more photos of yourself?"

"Hey, I just do what everyone else is doing." Sonny shook her head slowly and he turned the magazine so she could see it. "Actually, the nominations for the Tweenies are in."

"Tweenies?"

Chad gave her a look like she'd just said she'd run over a rabbit. "The Tweenies. The Tween Weekly TV Tween Choice Awards, the most prestigious awards around. It's the biggest event on the social calendar of all important people in Hollywood…" he gave a cheeky grin, "… which, now I think about it, does explain why you don't know it." Sonny rolled her eyes and Chad continued. "Anyone who's anyone is nominated."

"Yeah?" Sonny asked, vaguely recalling her friends mentioning something about Mackenzie Falls beating out So Random the last time the Tween Choice Awards (a bi-annual event) were held. "Everyone?"

"Everyone who matters." Chad grinned, motioning to the pictures scattering the walkway. "Hoosier Girl, two nominations. Teen Gladiators, three nominations. Meal or No Meal, one nomination. Mackenzie Falls…" he gave a smug chuckle. "Six, that's right, six nominations. Including Best Actor in a Drama Series. That's me." He grinned proudly, straightening his suit jacket as Sonny sighed and rolled her eyes. "And finally…" Chad stopped in front of the poster of So Random. "So Random…" his voice raised an octave in a very condescending tone. "Zero!"

"You know, awards aren't everything!" Sonny protested.

Chad laughed loudly as he walked away, Sonny watching him go with a frown as he started to repeat her line in various mocking tones. With a glare after him, she started back to Marshall's office.

*

It had only dawned on Sonny as she walked back to Marshall's office exactly what Chad had said. They weren't nominated, for anything! Absolutely nothing. Steering clear of Marshall's office until she conferred with her friends (it was always safe to assume Chad was lying just to stir up trouble), she returned to the Prop House to find Grady and Nico had returned to watch television. "Do you know what Chad just told me?"

Nico looked up. "Unless he's saying he's packing up and moving to Papua New Guinea, I don't need to know."

"Why would you want to terrorise Papua New Guinea like that man?" Grady double-teamed.

Nico nodded slowly. "I'm so cruel."

"No, he said we weren't nominated for any Tweenies this year." She frowned. "That can't be right can it?"

"It's right. So very, very wrong but unfortunately true." Tawni's voice came from the doorway. "But don't worry, Marshall is on the phone to the officials and he'll be sorting this out."

"So we're not nominated for anything?" Grady asked, clearly not quite getting it yet.

"Well, actually, we're the only nomination for Best Comedy. But they say they won't give an award unless there are four or more nominees." Tawni clarified, a mix of anger and anxiousness spread across her face. She worked for accolades. No awards meant all her hard work was for nothing.

"But we've been nominated for Best Show for the last two years!" Nico spoke up.

Tawni shook her head. "Beaten out to a nomination by first time nominee Hoosier Girl."

"How did Hoosier Girl get a nomination? It's a show about nothing!"

"Well there was that recent episode where Amber Lynn's evil twin sister moves to town." Grady put in, staring off into the distance, caught up in his own thoughts.

Tawni gave him a frown. "Anyway, since when has having no clear plot stopped a show from getting a nomination? It's never stopped Mackenzie Falls."

"Alright gang, I have some great news and some dreadful, dreadful news." Marshall stepped into the Prop House and everyone turned to look at him. "The good news is that Best Comedy hasn't been forgotten. The producers say they'll be doing a segment for Best Comedy including footage from the winning show and a musical montage. And the even better news is, as the only nominees, we won!"

"So Random got a Tweenie!" Tawni squealed. "This makes everything okay!" Grady and Nico high-fived but Sonny saw past the smile on Marshall's round face.

"And what's the 'dreadful, dreadful news'?"

Marshall's grin dropped. "Well, see, you aren't required to come onstage for the Best Comedy award so well, you haven't been invited."

"WHAT?" A mass question arose from the four teens.

"Yeah, see, cost cutting means they had to limit the numbers. Nominees only. As you've already won Best Comedy and you aren't nominated for anything else, you've been cut." He gave a wry smile. "But you can watch it on TV."

"But the free stuff." Grady whined.

"The girls." Nico added.

"Everybody appreciating Tawni." Tawni mused, referring to herself in the third-person once again.

Sonny just sighed. "This stinks."

*

"This is bad. This is worse than bad. This is up there with spots, bad hair days and outfit repeats." Tawni squealed, sitting at her dressing room mirror. Sonny made a face and Tawni turned. "Not that I've ever suffered any of those, but, you know, in theory." She was so upset by the lack of nominations she didn't even flick her hair as she looked back at herself in the mirror. The pair had returned to their dressing room after Marshall left the Prop House reminding them there would always be next time. Other awards shows. None of this had helped Tawni's heartbroken expression.

"This isn't the end of the world Tawni. There will be other awards nights. There will be other nominations." Sonny started her 'pick-me-up' speech, watching Tawni stand and move to her make-up desk, rummaging through her belongings. "But if we give up now then they'll win! We can have our own fun right here without tho…" Tawni's screech stopped her speech. She looked back at the blonde with a frown. "What is it?"

Tawni held up an empty tube of lipstick. "My Cocoa Mocho Cocoa is no more!" Collapsing onto the couch she buried her head into her cushion, indecipherable screeching and muttering followed. Sonny went to her side and patted her on the shoulder and Tawni slowly turned her head. "Stick a fork in me Sonny, I'm done!"

"No you're not!" Sonny stood, raising a dramatic fist into the air. "You're going to the Tweenies Tawni, even if it means…" she backed to the doorframe and leant against it, struggling to even say what she was about to do, "… making a deal with the devil." Then, turning on her heel, she stalked from the room.