*The author of this story (IE: Me) can be seen running around and jumping up and down with joy. Why? Well...*

Chapter 12 is gonna have a special 'lil surprise for you all! I finally finished it and scanned it to my computer...I'll be it it's not the best, but I'm sure you guys will like it all the same! But I ain't uploading it ANYWHERE until we get to chapter 12 (and we don't get to chapter 12 until I have at least seven reviews per chapter....so you know what to do!).

Also I may soon have the cover page (meaning what would be the cover of this if it were a book, most likely) uploaded as well. It's real cute, but since my colored pencils have conveniently gone missing...I can't finish it so we'll just have to settle for how it looks. I still have to add the title to it, but that'll take all of five minutes...If my computer decides to be compatable with photoshop anytime soon.

AND! Oh my goodness this is certainly a day for presents, isn't it? Are we SURE it's not Christmas yet? (Ah, but we're sure, sad to say.) I'll soon have another teaser up for my TLTT sequal. Now if only I'd get to writing that blasted thing...If you guys can handle not having an update here for a week, I can work on it over Thanksgiving break. But I won't do that unless you guys can really absolutly without a doubt handle it. (And here's something else to note: I don't post big things like that until it's completely done AND I've gone back through and re-read everything...where as this one I'm writing chapter 14 right now and I'm not really going back and re-reading and double checking this...which is why I'm amazed it's doing so well for truly being a rough draft).

And I just had a huge Deja Vu moment...(And my cat just purred louder because I said that out loud...). Have I told you all that information before? I'm sorry if I have and I'm just repeating myself and babbling like an idiot now...So I'll shut up (now that my cat is crawling on me...I don't think he approves of the fact that I'm typing instead of petting him).

AND DON'T FORGET: Sign my petition to let Ross and Janice know that we want to see more of the cartoon Chipmunks (and not just the old episodes either...the Chipmunk Adventure needs to be shown on TV as well as the fact that they need to make more).

Switched

Chapter 10: Backstage Passes

"Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh…"

The boys had performed a spot-on performance up to this point, much to Simon and Theodore's relief and were now closing with their rendition of 'Uptown Girl.' They could only hope Alvin stayed as perfect as he had been for this closing number.

"Uptown girl…

She's been living in her uptown world.

I'll bet she never had a back street guy (ahh, ahh-ahh).

I'll bet her mama never told her why (ahh-ahh, ahh-ahh)."

His brothers (and Dave out in the audience) could hear him going flat. Then again, they also knew how much this song reminded him of Brittany, even if she wasn't exactly an 'uptown girl.'

"I'm gonna try for an uptown girl (uptown girl).

She's been living in her white bread world

As long as anyone with hot blood can,

And now she's looking for a downtown man.

That's what I am.

And when she knows what she wants from her time…

And when she wakes up and makes up her mind…

She'll see I'm not so tough

Just because I'm in love

With an uptown girl.

You know I've seen her in her uptown world.

She's getting tired of her high class toys

And all her presents from her uptown boys.

She's got a choice."

Simon and Theodore latched onto Alvin in order to try to cover up him tripping over his own feet. They were really out of sync tonight, each of them making several mistakes (non-voice-related) on stage. It was due to lack of practice, not planning it out ahead of time. Even for songs they already knew, there was still a need for at least one run-through, even if they just sang the beginnings of the songs.

"Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh,

Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh.

Uptown girl.

You know I can't afford to buy her pearls,

But maybe someday when my ship comes in

She'll understand what kind of guy I've been.

And then I'll win.

And when she's walking she's looking so fine.

And when she's talking she'll say that she's mine.

She'll say I'm not so tough

Just because I'm in love

With an uptown girl.

She's been living in her white bread world

As long as anyone with hot blood can,

And now she's looking for a downtown man.

That's what I am."

Over the next set of 'oh-oh-oh-oh's,' the boys moved up on stage as carefully yet professionally as they could. The girls didn't even notice it, they were too wrapped up in the boys voices. The Chipmunks had a talent for getting any girl to lose herself in their songs, even if that girl was as mad at them as Brittany was at Alvin.

"Uptown girl

She's my up town gir-ir-irl.

Don't you know I'm in love with an uptown girl?

My uptown girl,

Don't you know I belong with an uptown girl?

My uptown girl,

Don't you know I'm in love with an uptown girl?

My uptown girl,

Don't you know I'm in love with an uptown girl?"

…X…

"You were simply fabulous!" a TV star complimented as she kissed each of the boys' cheeks. They were already all three weak at the knees because of all the gorgeous stars that had come up and hugged them or kissed their cheeks…or the men that had shaken their hands. They had had no idea that Dave had contacts with this many of Hollywood's elite!

"Enough, enough," the stage manager declared. While he too was impressed by all the upper-class that had shown up, he had a job to do. And his job said that no one without a pass was allowed backstage, no matter how much money they had. So he had the awful job of shooing all those famous people out.

"Boys!" Eleanor called as she and Jeanette ran up hand-in-hand. She quickly latched onto Theodore, who was blushing because of how pretty she looked.

"You c-certainly dressed up tonight," he gulped. Her mint green dress was perfect for her body, and she had cute little white bows in her hair.

"Actually, this isn't the dressiest it gets," Jeanette said with a giggle. Simon was speechless as he stared at her dress. She had a jacket on because she'd gotten cold, but the dress was still dazzling. Her hair was done differently too…It was up in a clip rather than with its normal bow. He had had no idea that her hair was long enough to flow over the clip without sticking out. It looked just like her bun, but it wasn't.

"Where's Brittany?" Miss Miller asked as she waited for her hugs from the girls.

"She's…coming," Eleanor tried. Alvin had already dissappeared into his dressing room anyway.

"Are they ever going to make up?" Jeanette sighed. "It wasn't even that bad."

"I'm not going!" Brittany whined, and they all turned their heads to see Dave dragging her by her hand.

"Brittany! You're causing a scene!" Eleanor scolded. Her sister, the queen of the perfect image, was whining like a baby as Dave dragged her towards the group. Her dress was by far the best, her hair done up so fancy that no one would have guessed she'd put it up herself, and everything was in perfect place. But the whole sight was ruined because of her temper tantrum.

"Brittany!" Miss Miller snapped, and instantly the eldest Chipette stopped and merely looked at her fancy little shoes. Dave let go of her hand as his two boys ran over for a quick hug.

"Where's Alvin?" he asked.

"In his dressing room," Simon sighed as he pointed. Dave started to move towards it, but Miss Miller blocked him.

"Remember the rules David," she said, turning around and knocking on it herself. While she tried to get Alvin to emerge, Dave slipped a piece of notebook paper to Simon. Simon quickly hid it in his pocket before anyone noticed and went over to stand beside Theodore. "Oh, just come out and accept your praise for such a nice show!" Two frustrated eyes answered her, and soon he walked quietly out. He'd already changed his clothes. Miss Miller gave him a gentle push towards Brittany, who was still fixated on her shoes.

Everyone watched as his eyes showed his surprise and interest in how she looked. No matter how much she'd deny it, she had dressed that way because she wanted to impress Alvin. As Brittany looked shyly up, Alvin's eyes regained their anger and he looked away. "Go on," Dave whispered to Brittany so that Alvin couldn't hear him.

"You look great tonight," she said, almost inaudibly.

"So do you," he replied just as quietly. Everyone started backing away slowly, as if Theodore and Eleanor had just made a soufflé and they were all now leaving to let it set so that it would be perfect once it cooled.

"This outfit would look better with…"

"Don't start with me!" Everyone let out their breaths with quiet groans. So much for the two of them making up.

"I'm not. I'm just saying it'd look better with a necklace."

"You have plenty."

"None that look just right with this dress."

"Then why don't you make do with one that looks nice?"

"Because 'nice' isn't good enough." Alvin rolled his eyes and turned to walk away. "You're so spoiled!"

"You're calling me spoiled?" he snapped as he spun back at her. Simon and Theodore walked to their rooms to change as Miss Miller and Dave both just rubbed their foreheads in misery.

"You've had a perfect life all your life and you can't spare a little bit of that perfection for me? Yeah! You're spoiled!" She spun around and ran off, and Alvin let off a loud growl as he ran back into his room. Dave started to go after Alvin instinctively, but this time one of the 'Switched' cameramen stepped in his way.

"Move!" Dave demanded.

"I'm sorry, but the rules say you can't do that." It was obvious that the cameraman didn't want to do what he was doing, but for the sake of his job he had to. "Why don't you go comfort Brittany? She's your kid until next Saturday morning." Letting out his own growl of frustration, Dave turned around and chased after Brittany while Jeanette and Eleanor merely leaned against the wall outside of the dressing rooms. Miss Miller tentatively knocked on Alvin's door, hoping he'd open without her having to announce herself. But five minutes passed and there wasn't any sign that he was going to.

"Alvin? Brittany ran off and because of the rules David had to go after her instead of talking to you…So I hope I'll do." She heard light footsteps on the floor and she watched as the doorknob on her side jiggled as he opened the door.

"What is it?" he mumbled.

"May I come in?"

"Sure." He stepped out of the way and she walked in, shutting the door behind her. Alvin went over and pulled the footrest away from his arm chair so Miss Miller could sit. "Miss Miller, Brittany is way out of line! She…"

"I know she can be quite a handful Alvin." Miss Miller gratefully took the seat and motioned for Alvin to sit on the footrest. "She's a little disillusioned right now. You boys did just put on a concert for all the elite of American TV. The biggest stars, producers, directors, and who knows what all were out there. I bet she thinks that you boys have more money now than ever…And you have to understand that she came from scraping together a living on the streets of New York to scraping up a living in a tree house here while going to school and handling a job at that hotel."

"You make it sound like we're spoiled."

"Compared to that story, anyone sounds spoiled. Alvin, I get her nice things sometimes just like I'm always getting Jeanette new books or buying all sorts of ingredients at the store for Eleanor to make whatever it is she wants to make. And I'm sure Brittany appreciates that, but now she is tasting that elite life that all those stars have and she wants it more than anything. It's so sad that she thinks the only way to live that life is through what she wears, but she's very insecure. Please, forgive for that at least."

"I don't hold anything against her! I just want her to stop acting like such a brat! She's sucking up all my money! I used to use that money on what I wanted!" Miss Miller sucked in a deep breath. No wonder Brittany thought he was spoiled…He'd probably waved that money around every time they went somewhere and he saw something he liked…And she took advantage of it. Sure, she was a brat…But she sure knew how to live. Latch onto a rich guy and be set for life…

"She probably thinks you and your brothers get everything you want and still have cash just flowing out of your ears on top of that."

"We do not!"

"But it certainly looks like you do. David does say no when need be, and I try to give the girls as much as you boys have had, but there is an obvious difference."

"Obvious difference? Miss Miller! Do you know how many times we've had trouble paying the bills? Do you know how close we've come to losing the house before?" He leaped up and Miss Miller was taken completely aback at how much he knew about his family's financial situation. "We don't get to do whatever we want whenever we want…"

"Of course not! What parent in their right mind would consent to that?"

"Obviously Brittany thinks we do!" Miss Miller caught him as he stomped around in circles in his anger.

"Alvin, just you give her time. You were right to say no, but this is going just a little too far. She owes you an apology just as much as you owe her one. Well, more, I think, but don't ever tell her I said that." Alvin smiled a little at that. At least it was clear that Brittany owed him the bigger apology.

…X…

Dave finally found Brittany after a good ten minutes of hunting. She's run back out to the seats and was sitting in the middle, her knees pulled up and her forehead resting on her knees. "Brittany," he said as gently as he could manage.

"Simon and Theodore are always giving stuff to Jeanette and Ellie just for no reason at all…All they have to do is talk about something they like and they'll get it. I have to beg, and no one listens because they all call me a diva! Just because I like fashions and jewelry more than books and food."

"Well, they call you a diva because you beg so much, and for the most expensive things."

"Nuh-uh! That necklace I wanted was only twenty bucks! The same price as a good hardback book for Jeanette." She glanced up, hurt obvious in her eyes. "Alvin is always so greedy." Dave cringed inwardly at that comment. Alvin sure loved to get what he wanted, but he wouldn't go so far to say that Alvin was always greedy. Alvin could be very giving when he wanted to be.

"Well, I'm sure he wants to spend his money on something other than you once in a while. Brittany, Simon normally gives Jeanette books that he bought, read, and didn't feel like reading again but knew that Jeanette would like it. And Theodore would make cookies for anyone that smiled at him. Alvin is just a typical kid, more interested in spending time with his friends rather than spending money to get them gifts to keep them smiling all the time. I'm sure if you're a little nicer you'll see that side. Just hang out with him…This is the twenty-first century, so why don't you buy him some ice cream sometime?" Brittany growled inwardly. Dave would stick up for Alvin. But she couldn't bring herself to be angry with Dave for that…Perhaps it was because she knew that Dave was just telling the truth.

"Image is everything in this world. If I don't stay on top of things…"

"You'll still be an up and coming rock star, member of the Chipettes, friends with the Chipmunks…You'll still have the same opportunities you'd have even if you didn't get every little necklace that you want. Brittany…you didn't see Alvin's jaw drop tonight when he saw you."

"His…jaw dropped?" Now she was trying her best to cover up a blush.

"Oh yeah. He didn't say it, but he must have thought you looked gorgeous tonight."

"I'd have looked better with the right necklace."

"I don't think so. I mean, yeah, it'd look nice, but who really notices the little things? Did you notice that he was wearing a new hat today?"

"New…That was new?" She stared at Dave in surprise. "Wait…If no one notices the little things, how come you noticed?"

"It was lighter than his normal one and it didn't look like it'd been walked all over at tons of sporting events over the last three years. It's the sort of thing a parent would notice." Brittany giggled.

"I guess…I guess I owe you an apology."

"Me?"

"Well…I did call your son greedy and spoiled."

"Oh, he does tend to be greedy and I do spoil the boys. But…You were out of line." Brittany tried to be angry at that…But she just couldn't be. She wouldn't have been mad if Miss Miller had told her she was a rotten little rodent right then, actually, because she was beginning to see just how rotten she had been lately.