A/N

Hey guys! Thanks so much for the reviews! I loved them all and thanks for wishing me good luck on my Chemistry test. I take it Friday so I will not be updating until after that. A little thing about this chapter… it's more of a filler chapter but it still counts as an actual chapter to me. ENJOY!

Important authors note at the end.


SONNY POV

It's been a month. That's all you need to know. I used the key to open the door to Chad's apartment around twelve o clock in the morning. When I opened the door, he was sitting on the couch with a bowl of cereal. He turned his head to me curiously and furrowed his brows. He hasn't seen me in a month. I just came back from Texas two days ago. I know what I want and I have only a few rules.

"What are you doing here?" I closed the door and walked in with confidence, turning off the TV in front of him and sighing.

"I want this to work between us."

"Huh?"

"You and me? When we get back together, I want it to work. I want everything to be fine with no harsh feelings about anything."

He stood with his bowl. "What are you talking about?"

"When you and I become a couple because... I want to be with you. More than you can imagine. I just want everything to be okay."

"It will be. I won't let you down."

"And I won't let you down either." I nodded with a breath of relief. But I wasn't finished. "I have a few rules..."

"Rules?"

"Lightweight rules. More like statements, they're easy. Don't bring Hanna up around me and I won't bring Travis up around you unless it has something to do with our relationship."

As he put the bowl on the coffee table, he nodded. "That sounds fair."

"That whole drinking and anger thing you pulled in New York isn't going to happen again."

"I'm done with that." He assured me. "It'll never happen around you." I nodded.

"You have to talk to me instead of blowing things out of proportion when something is wrong."

He nodded. "Done."

"Honesty. Always be honest." He pulled me closer to him by my waist. I placed a hand on his bare chest and have him a look. He smirked and snickered. "Last but not least..."

"I'll do anything."

"If I am with you then I am with you and no one else and I don't want to be with anyone else. I love you. Promise to love me and stick by me through anything that goes wrong in between because I'll do it for you effortlessly."

"With every breath." He simply said. "I love you too."

His lips met mine leisurely and they stayed there for a long time. I feel better. I feel like everything can slowly fall back into place. But... I didn't want to have sudden make up sex. That's how I got pregnant. Even though I'm on the pill and Chad will use a condom, I just don't feel like it. And he felt content just kissing me like this. The silence in his apartment besides the central air relaxed me and I melted in his strong arms. He sat on the couch and pulled me atop of him. I was perfectly happy just like this. We're starting over. Everything was going to be okay now. We can do this.


"I don't feel like going..." I murmured onto Chad's neck and felt him shudder.

It's been a year and we're doing just fine. I mean, how fine are we doing? I'm happy and he's happy so I'd say we we're doing just fine. I enrolled at the University of Southern California. I realized that... I wanted to help other girls who feel insecure about themselves and develop eating disorders so I'm majoring in Psychology. It's been a few months since schools started and I never knew it would be this hard jumping back into education. Since Sophia's two, she goes to daycare and I pick her up on my way home and go back to his apartment. Since I'm nineteen, no one has any say on where I sleep in my family. Chad just chuckled and ran his hand up my back.

"You have to..."

"But it's so much work." I complained. "Let's just stay home. We'll send Sophia to your mom and we'll have adult playtime."

"Tempting but no. I don't want you to fall behind."

Chad's twenty four and I swear he just gets sexier with age. I don't know if it's the muscles or his hands or his face or his voice or laugh. It could just be all of him. But I know one main part is his crystal blue eyes. "One day won't kill me."

"No, Sonshine."

"Please?"

"No..."

"I'll satisfy you if you say yes."

"No." Damnit. "You have to go to school and get that Masters degree, baby. I'll be satisfied completely when you graduate." He hummed when my lips kissed his throat once more.

"But that's years from now. I'm talking about one day and that day being today."

"It's not happening." He hitched my leg over his waist. I could feel his soft member in his boxers between my legs. "I wanna go to business parties and brag to everyone how my girlfriend has her Masters in Psychology. But I don't want you to psychoanalyze me whenever I don't feel good. That'd be annoying."

"Chad..." I whined. Sophia should be waking up any moment. "I don't wanna go."

He tilted my chin and looked at me. "But you're going." He kissed my lips shortly. "I'll see you when you get home." I groaned and kissed him again before sitting up and pushing the covers off me. I knew he was going back to sleep when I left since it's his day off and he should. He works hard so he needs to enjoy his break. As I got out of bed, I felt his hand smack my butt. I glared at him over my shoulder and shook my head. "Love you too..."

"Yeah, whatever." I said playfully.

I took a shower, brushed my teeth and let my hair air dry so it was wavy. I then put it up in a bun and got dressed. Chad watched me get dressed in a pair of shorts and a tank top that I tucked in. It was hot today so little clothes were best. I slid my feet in a pair of sandals and sighed, grabbing my tan bag and slinging the strap over my shoulder.

"Bye..." I leaned down on the bed briefly and kissed Chad's cheek.

He hummed a bye as I walked out the door. I kissed Sophia's head when I passed her crib and left the house quietly. I still have the BMW my parents bought me. I use that to get around and everything in that car is great. My first class is of the day is Psych. It's a hard class but I put up with it because I really want to do this. How do I pay for this? My mom and her willingness to pay for everything I want. She will not let me pay for anything with school. No matter how much Chad offers, how much I beg her not to, she does what she wants. There's no fighting her in anything. I sat in a seat in the second row towards the window. Then the professor walked in.


CHAD POV

My girlfriends majoring in Psych. She's smart as hell. Smart girls are sexy ones and Sonny's too sexy for words. I took Sophia's bag that had her snack- a juice box and some teddy grams- since they provide lunch and hung it up in her designated cubby. Sophia let go of my hand when we got to Little Sunshine's daycare. I bent down and kissed her before guiding my daughter to the play area. One of the teachers, Miss Morgan, greeted me with a smile and said hi to Sophia. That's usually how drop off goes. Except this time, Morgan pulled me to the side while Sophia found a toy to play with.

"I'm sorry; I just wanted to talk to you about Sophia for a second."

"No problem..."

"Um, how is she at home? I know she's only two and still doesn't know that many words but does she talk at home?"

I furrowed my brows. "A whole lot, why?"

"Well, she doesn't really speak here. Don't get me wrong, she's a great little girl and fun to be around... she just makes gestures and sounds rather than actually trying to speak words. I'm worried about speech delay."

"No, no... She speaks a lot at home." I assured her. "Does she talk with the other kids?"

"Rarely. She'll sit by herself and play on her own." What's wrong with Sophia? Nothing's wrong with her. "Like yesterday, one of the other kids brought her a doll so they can play together but Sophia just went off to the side and played on her own."

"Oh... she's probably just shy."

"It could be that too. I'll try to work on it and I'll let you or her mother know the progress of it, alright?"

"Okay."

"Have a good day, Mr. Cooper." She patted my arm before turning around and tending to one of the kids.

Could Sophia have a speech delay? No, when she's at home she's flying off at the mouth constantly. Even around family. Maybe it's the day care center. I don't know. I'll talk about it with Sonny later on today. Since it was my day off, I'm going to go see my parents for a while. They still live in the same house and Mr. Monroe lives next door. He's still not fond of me but he puts up with it because of Sonny. Sonny blatantly told him that she doesn't care if he likes me or not. Which is true. Sonny is nineteen and should be free to be with who she wants. But if you try and tell that to Jake, he'll flip out on you.

"Hi, mom..." I kissed her cheek when I saw her in the kitchen drinking a cup of coffee. She smiled at me.

"Look at my handsome son..."

"You're in a good mood."

"I just haven't seen you in a long time. How are you? Where's Soph?"

"I'm okay and she's fine. I just dropped her off at day care."

"Oh... I would've watched her for today."

"Nah, she should be around other kids, mom. The teacher thinks she has a speech delay."

She scoffed. "Sophia? No, she's the loudest, most talkative person in the family."

"I told her that but she said she plays by herself instead of socializing."

"Mm..." She nodded. "She got it honestly. You were like that when you were in daycare. You wouldn't play with the other kids until you were like four. She's just shy. You were shy."

"I was shy? How was I shy? Do you see how I am now?" I asked unbelievably.

"You grew out of it. Don't worry about it. Sophia talks around you and that's all the really, truly matters." My mother said.

"Where's dad?"

"He went to go get Starbucks. My coffee's too weak for him apparently." I nodded slowly. "How's Sonny?"

"She's okay. She's at school also."

"Oh... how does she like USC?"

"She said she likes it but... her classes are hard. She was up late last night studying for a practical..." I told her. I had to drag Sonny away from her laptop and force her into the bed so she can sleep. "I don't miss those days."

"You never studied but then again, she's going for her Masters. You just went for your Bachelors."

"That I did. And I studied. I just didn't study as hard as she does."

My mother chuckled and sipped her coffee as the front door opened. "You were lazy."

"Hey, Chad..." My father greeted me with a pat on the back. He had a cup of ice coffee in his hand. It looked big and my mother looked disgusted. "Don't start."

"That's a lot of coffee. You're going to be shaking by the end of today, Jack."

"I'll be fine." He waved her off and peered at me. "How's everything?"

"Good."

"Soph's at daycare?" I nodded. "You have the day off. What are you going to do today?"

I shrugged. "I don't know. Is there anything you need me to do?"

"No, we're all good here but thanks." My father stated as I turned around to the fridge and fixed myself a glass of apple juice. You'd think I'd be tired of this since Sophia drinks it so much.

"When are you gonna propose to Sonny?" My mother asked suddenly. I put the glass down from my lips and chuckled deeply.

"Where'd you get the idea from that I'm going to propose to her?" I put the glass on the counter and leaned my hand on it.

"I assumed since... you've been with her for a long time and you to love each other a lot. And you have a kid together." She went on.

"I... have thought about marrying her. Plenty of times but right now, we're perfectly happy the way we are."

"You're not getting any younger." She said. "Marry her."

"Mom, I'm twenty four. I have time. And you should be happy that I'm with one girl rather than having different ones run in and out of my life."

"That's true." My father agreed. "You slept around. Lucky you didn't catch anything."

"I got tested and I'm clean. I'm responsible and I wrapped it up every time." They both looked at me with a condescending look. I laughed loudly and shook my head. "Except for once and we see how that turned out. But I don't regret it. Sophia is the greatest thing that's ever happened to me."

"Mm..." My mother hummed when the house phone rang. She went over to the wall to pick it up.

"You're going to need a bigger apartment." He said to me. "Sophia can't sleep in the same room as you guys forever."

"I know. I think there's a two bedroom a couple of floors above me. I have to ask the front desk about it." I replied quietly. My mother laughed softly at whoever she was speaking to but then motioned to my father.

"Neil and Amanda invited us to dinner tonight? You okay with going over there?" My father nodded at her. She turned her direction back to the phone.

"So, why don't you want to marry Sonny?"

"Huh?"

"What's the true reason?"

"It's not that I don't want to. I'm just not ready and she's only nineteen. I'd wait until she's twenty one and almost finished with college so she doesn't have to stress over wedding stuff and school work. Plus, I would feel bad if everyone at the wedding was drinking champagne and she couldn't."

He sipped his coffee. "Oh... but you can also just put the ring on her finger now so you'd be engaged but marry her two years from now. I proposed to your mother and we didn't get married for a year and a half."

"I don't know. If I do decide to propose then I'll let you know but right now, Sonny and I are happy the way we are."

"So, we're going to Baci with them tonight around seven thirty." My mom ran her fingers through my fathers' hair as she sat down. "You know, I'm happy Sophia didn't get the blonde hair. She got Sonny's hair color. Brown hair and blue eyes. She's striking." I snickered.

"That means Chad had strong genes."

"Not really because she looks exactly like Sonny and has freckles like Sonny..."


SONNY POV

"Isn't that nice of you to meet me for lunch?" I smiled at Penelope who just flipped me off quickly. We were sitting outside at a Café underneath tan umbrellas. My next class wasn't for two hours. So I have time.

"I missed you."

"I bet. Nico keeps you locked away in your dorm room. No wonder you're glowing." I teased. She stuck her tongue at me. "What's up?"

She sighed. "I'm tired of school. Well no. I'm tired of the sluts that think they can take Nico away from me." And then groaned. "It's so annoying hearing them talk about him."

"Oh my God, you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous. I'm annoyed." I gave her a sarcastic look which she returned with a glare. "Seriously. I'm more annoyed if anything."

"But he comes to you for everything and you're the one he's with so that's that."

She beamed. "I know. How's Cooper treating you? Do I have to go and knock some since into him?"

"No, he's okay." I giggled, looking at the salads on the menu. I want the Ahi Tuna salad. "We're doing fine."

"That's good. Oh my God!" She exclaimed out of nowhere. "Tawni Hart? Remember her? She's sitting right there." She pointed discreetly to her left. I'm still not liking Tawni after how she treated me but she looked really chubby. The guy she was with looked familiar also.

"Oh wow."

"She got fat." Pen blurted out. I shot her a look and shook my head. "I'm just saying..."

"She looks sick." I muttered. Her hair doesn't look like it did in high school. It's thin and dry looking. I automatically felt bad and wanted to go say hi. But Penelope would kill me if I tried to say hi to her since she was out to get both of us in P.A.

"Anyway, I think you and me should do something..." The waitress came back with our waters and took our orders quickly.

"Something like what?"

She faked a pout. "I don't know. I haven't spent that much time with you since you started school. I miss you..."

"Well, you can't say... let's do something and not have a plan."

"I know, I know. Do you wanna go to a frat party with me?"

"No." I scoffed. "I'm not into that kind of stuff anymore."

"You're nineteen."

"So what? I have a daughter. I'd rather be home with her than pushed up with a bunch of drunk, sweaty guys."

"You're no fun."

"I've moved on from that stuff. We're spending time together now."

"You know what I mean."

"Yeah..." I breathed out. "We'll figure something out."

"Mhm." As I sipped my water, Penelope chewed on her bottom lip like she wanted to ask me something. "How has your eating and stuff been?"

"It's okay. I eat just as much as you do." I said lowly.

"You haven't... have you?"

"I'd be lying if I said I hadn't." I shrugged honestly.

"Sonny..." She said in a caring way.

"I don't know what happened. That one day he wasn't home I felt like I ate so much in a week."

"How long ago was this?"

"Maybe a two month and a few weeks ago." There was a short pause. "I felt awful after doing it."

"Does he know?" I shook my head. "Why don't you tell him?"

"Because I don't want to worry him and have him stress out over me. It's not worth it."

"It's your health."

"My health. Not his so I don't want to concern him. I still feel kind of bad about it."

"Oh..."

"And then I thought: If Sophia saw me and could understand what I did, would she think its okay to do that? I wouldn't want her to fall into that same habit I had."

"You're working on it."

"I am. I try everyday but I can't pretend like it doesn't pop up in my head every once in a while." I exhaled.

She put a small smile on her face. "At least you're owning up to it and you're trying to fix it. I remember when I couldn't get through to you at all."

"I know." It took me having a stomach ulcer to see that I was hurting myself... and Sophia because I was pregnant at that time.

"Still craving Snickers Ice Cream bars?"

"No. I'm sick of those." We both laughed. "That's all I ate when I was pregnant. Snickers Ice cream, Chili Dogs and Cherry Soda."

"And pretzels."

"I wonder what you're going to crave."

"Burgers and Rum Raisin." She chuckled, moving her glass so the waitress can put our plates down. My salad made me drool. It looked so good. I picked up my fork and stuck it in a piece of tuna and lettuce. Penelope had ordered the same thing as me. I put the fork in my mouth and sighed. So good...

"Did you ever get to wear that thing from Victoria's Secret that you bought?"

"Nope but I'm gonna use it very soon. I think Soph is gonna spend the night at Jakes place with Nicole tomorrow night."

"When's the last time you and Chad... did stuff?"

I inhaled deeply. "A month..."

"You and him went a whole month without sex?" She whispered hastily. "But you two are always together."

"Sophia's sleeping in the room with us. And I refuse to do that with her in the room."

"Wait until she's asleep."

"No, that's weird." I put some more food in my mouth and chewed. "I'm serious, Pen. But he's working late tomorrow. I thought about... dressing up in a pencil skirt and just randomly showing up at night while he's there and yeah..."

She gasped. "You should do it."

"There's cameras in the office. I don't want to get him in trouble."

"So, reach up and turn it off. There's always a button that turns it off. Sonny, you should completely do that tomorrow night."

"I don't know."

"Do you know how hard he would get?"

"Oh my God..." I burned red and put a hand over my eyebrows to cover my eyes from her. "Please don't."

"He would be crazy horny and you two would have unbelievable, passionate, office sex." She whispered. I fought a laugh and squeezed my eyes shut, dropping my hand on the table.

"That's the end of that conversation."

"Do it."

"Fine. Whatever. Just... don't talk about it anymore."

"Great." She grinned and picked up her glass. "Don't you miss these conversations?"

"No, I don't."

"Liar." I missed her craziness. She took a big gulp while I took a big bite out of my food. "Mm. I'm excited for Chad."

"Why?"

"He's about to get some."


CHAD POV

Sophia pointed to the TV enthusiastically. "There!"

"I spoke to Sophia's teacher."

"What'd she say?"

"She's worried that Soph might have a speech delay. She said... she doesn't play with the other kids that much and she doesn't talk that much." I told Sonny who was looking at Sophia respond to a repeat Diego episode with a bag of popcorn.

"But she talks a lot. I don't know about the friends' thing but Sophia talks."

"I don't really know about this stuff. I told my mother and she said that I was the same way. She said it's just shyness."

"It could be that. But what if... something is wrong?"

"If you're really worried about it, we can get her tested and stuff."

"Daddy, more popcorn..." Sophia climbed off the couch and walked over to us since we were in the kitchen. "More please..." She handed the bag to me.

"Mommy's making dinner. You'll eat then."

"I can have juice?"

"You can have water..." She followed me to the fridge and watched me fill her sippy cup with cold water. I handed it to her and watched her run off to the couch. "She seems fine to me." But I can see the worry on Sonny's face as she turned the chicken over in the pan. "Don't stress over it."

"What if she's not okay?"

"Then we'll help her out but we both see her and we both know she speaks well and socializes with other people. If she doesn't speak in day care then maybe it's something there she doesn't like."

"She's two. There's not a lot of things she can dislike."

"She doesn't like peas." I pointed out. "Or regular milk. She drinks Chocolate."

"You did that to her. She drank white milk perfectly fine until you started giving her chocolate." Sonny smiled with a laugh. "Miss Morgan said she spoke a little more today when she was talking to Sophia. And she sang along in the song so I think she just has to get used to day care. She's been around us for so long that being with a room full of different kids might be a little... change for her."

"That could be it to." I replied. "And another thing, we have to move. We need two bedrooms."

"I know. And I feel bad because you're gonna pay for it and I have nothing to offer." She covered the pan and put the fork down.

"It's okay..."

"No, it's not." I wrapped my arms around her waist and placed a kiss on her neck. "I should contribute."

"You don't have to."

"But I want to."

"I'm not taking your money, Sonshine."

"Bu-"

"No."

"God, you're so mean. You don't let me stay home; you don't let me pay for anything."

"I let you sleep with me."

"Oh, like I actually want that." She snorted before giggling. I scoffed. "Just kidding. At least let me contribute."

"You're contribution will be painting Sophia's walls whatever color you like." I pecked her lips briefly. "Okay."

"Fine." Sonny grumbled and let me kiss her again. "How was your day off?"

"Too short." I replied. "I have three very, very important meetings tomorrow. I'm not looking forward to it."

"I'm sure you'll do fine."

After dinner and a nonstop talking Sophia, she fell asleep around nine thirty and was done for the night. While Sonny cleaned the kitchen and took a shower, I tried getting my presentations ready but I couldn't seem to focus on it. Most of it is done but I feel as if it could be better. If I screw up, I feel like my job is on the line. I can't lose my job. I peered over at the clock and it read '1:03'. When did time move so fast? I just started a few hours ago. I felt Sonny's hands rest on my shoulder and slide down my shirt covered chest.

"It's late."

"I have to finish."

"You've been working for hours and you're tired." She told me, sliding her hands inside my shirt. I yawned. "It'll be here when you wake up."

"That's what I said to you the other night." I chuckled and fixed a pie chart on the PowerPoint. "I'm almost finished."

"You're finished. You're just being a perfectionist."

I hit save. "I am because this has to be right."

"It's perfectly fine, Chad. Come to bed." I felt her nails gently graze my chest. I shudder at the warmth of her hands. "Come on..." She pulled out the chair quietly. I hit save one more time and put the laptop on sleep. I removed my shirt and pants so I can sleep in my boxers. I got in bed with her and sighed. Sonny kissed under my jaw lightly and hummed. Before I knew it, I was lulled to sleep by Sonny's hand running up and down my torso.


A/N

So… like, love, hate, bored? Review! Tell me what you thought? I hope you liked it. I tried hard. Boring? If you thought it was boring, you can tell me. It makes my writing better. I was writing this through an authors block also :) 15 reviews=update. Um… that's all I really have to say. I hope you liked. Review please and thank you… Chapter 54 coming soon…

Important

The next chapter is the last chapter. :( It's over in the next one. I know I'll be sad. I loved writing this story and I'm glad you loved reading this story but everything has to come to an end. Chapter 54 is the last and 55 is the epilogue :) Love you.