Disclaimer: Sonny With a Chance belongs to Disney.

Author's Note: I just want to say that I was completely blown away by the response to Chapter 2! There didn't seem to be that much interest in the first chapter, so the number of reviews on the second was a very pleasant surprise. Thank you, everybody! I'm also happy that many people seemed to enjoy the almost-kiss.

Sunset

"I can't believe you've been here almost a year and haven't seen a Pacific sunset yet," Chad commented as he drove westward, toward the ocean. While this fact did surprise him, he was actually pleased by it because it gave him the opportunity to provide Sonny with an experience that was both simple and unique. While he doubted that she would actively oppose such luxuries as were a part of his daily life, he'd noticed that she seemed to take extraordinary pleasures in the simple things of life. It was one of the things he found attractive about her.

"Things just always seem so busy," she explained. "I mean, I've been to the beach a few times, but just during the day to play and get sun and stuff. We never stayed until nighttime."

She'd been too busy to catch a sunset at the beach, but she'd visited Disneyland twice. Somehow, Chad wasn't surprised by that.

"Well, fall's the best time to do it," he said, and Sonny chuckled softly, unable to stop herself from wishing there was a container of liquid to throw at the word "Falls." Of course, she'd have to throw it on herself because she'd never want to disturb anyone while they were driving.

"What's so funny?" he demanded, and she saw no reason not to answer honestly.

"You said falls!" she replied brightly. He spared a sideways glance at her before returning his attention to the road.

"Really, Sonny? Really?"

"Force of habit," she said apologetically. "I'm really trying to work on it."

"Work harder," he advised dryly. For some reason, that set her off into another round of giggles.

"So why is fall the best time?" Sonny asked when she regained control of herself.

"The days are getting shorter, so the sun doesn't go down so late," he explained. "Plus most people are into their school year routine or whatever, and it's too early for northerners to come on vacation, so the beach isn't so busy."

"Sounds perfect," Sonny agreed, and they lapsed into a companionable silence for a while. "You know, I have seen a sunset over Lake Michigan."

"Uh, I'm not big on geography, but I'm pretty sure Lake Michigan is east of Wisconsin, not west."

"Duh!" said Sonny, rolling her eyes. "We were on vacation in Michigan."

"There's a lake and a state with the same name?"

"You really aren't big on geography, are you?"

"Well, you know how I feel about school and reading," Chad pointed out.

"Yeah. That's another thing I'll have to work on."

"Oh, it's starting already?"

"What is?"

"Changing me." Chad paused. "Women are always trying to change their men into something else. At least, that's what I hear."

"I'm not trying to change you," Sonny protested, deciding to overlook the obvious stereotype. Besides, she was too inexperienced with relationships to have decided whether she resented or resembled that remark. "I just think it'd be good for you to expand your mind a little."

"Uh-huh," said Chad, as though he didn't quite believe it. He had to admit, if only privately, that she'd already succeeded in changing him in small ways. He found that he was not nearly as obsessed with his public image as he'd once been. Moreover, he cared a lot more about Sonny than he did about himself. He'd heard once that that was the definition of love. If so, he supposed he could take some comfort from the fact that he hadn't compounded his faux pas of saying "I love you" too soon with having it be a lie as well.

Still, it was unnerving to feel this way. Seeking more comfortable ground, he returned to an earlier topic.

"Well, there's no way a lake can compare with an ocean," he asserted.

"Of course not," Sonny replied cheerfully. "Lake water's fresh instead of salty, and there's no sharks."

"Pacific sunsets are better," he insisted stubbornly.

"Have you ever seen a Michigan sunset?" she challenged.

"Of course not."

"Then you don't know. I'll have to be the judge."

By the time they reached the beach, the sun was already low enough to be directly in their eyes. True to Chad's prediction, there were only a few scattered blankets, and most of the people who were there appeared to be packing up to leave. Chad squinted at the sun's angle.

"Looks like we've got a couple of hours before sunset," he remarked. "Plenty of time for a swim and some dinner."

"Can we eat first?" Sonny begged. "I'm starving!"

"You don't eat enough snacks at the studio?"

"I'm trying to watch my figure."

"That's my job now," Chad declared, being intentionally obvious as he scanned her body and enjoying the blush that rose to her cheeks when he returned his gaze to her face. "Looks perfect to me."

"Thanks," she muttered, avoiding his eyes as she picked up some blankets and towels from the car and strode off to the beach. Chad grinned, following her with a large cooler and a beach bag. Sometimes he wished she were a little more confident about her looks, but he realized that her self-consciousness was a part of her charm.

That gave him an idea. If he affected more humility, would he be more popular with the media and the fans of his show? He discarded the notion almost immediately. Chad Dylan Cooper was charming enough already. Besides, Sonny Munroe was now the only fan whose opinion really mattered to him.

Joining his girlfriend on the blanket she was spreading out, he began to unpack an impressive variety of food: chilled shrimp, cold chicken, bread, an array of salads and fruits.

"What, no lobster?" Sonny quipped, her eyes growing round as she watched the feast be revealed. Smirking, Chad pulled out a plastic container of real lobster meat, and Sonny laughed. "How about butter?" He produced that as well.

"It's pretty cold now," he said, setting it out. "The air's warm enough that it should soften pretty fast, though." Finally, at the bottom, there were a few canned beverages. Sonny took one and a plate (there were even real plates and cloth napkins), beginning to serve herself.

"You really went all out," she remarked.

"I don't believe in roughing it for the sake of a picnic," he declared loftily. "Anyway, nothing's too good for you."

"You're going to spoil me," she accused.

"That's the idea."

After eating, the pair cleaned up the remnants of their meal and just relaxed together for a while. As the sun drew lower, the air became cooler, and the wind started to pick up.

"We'd better get out there," Chad advised, standing up and removing his shirt. "The waves get bigger as the sun sets. That's great for surfers, but not always so great for swimmers."

Sonny was very willing to take his advice on this, so she removed her cover-up, allowing Chad to finally really see her figure. She tried very hard not to feel shy about it. It wasn't as though she hadn't worn a swimsuit in front of total strangers before. Somehow, the situation just felt different with someone who'd only recently become her boyfriend.

Chad, for his part, did not disappoint her. He stood staring at her unashamedly for several, lingering seconds.

"You are incredible," he breathed. "Have I told you that?"

"A few times, maybe," Sonny blushed. She took a more guarded look at his body, which she'd never seen this much of, as they took off into the waves. Privately, she acknowledged that she liked what she saw.

Chad proved to be a very strong swimmer. Sonny was no slouch, but she'd clearly not spent as much of her childhood in the water as he had. While she occasionally missed the fresh smell and taste of the Great Lakes, she had to admit that the extra buoyancy of the salt water was nice. She really enjoyed jumping into the waves. It was also just amazing to think of the extremely varied ecosystem the ocean represented. She'd been affected by such things ever since she'd learned what an ecosystem was.

When the possibilities of the water had been exhausted, and the sun was glowing red near the horizon, they returned to their spot on the beach. By this time, the area was almost deserted. Allowing their skin and hair to dry in the breeze, Sonny and Chad sat side by side on the blanket, holding hands. Neither of them spoke as they watched the fiery ball slowly flatten and disappear from view. Both seemed to sense the inexplicable magic of the moment, and words would have ruined it.

Chad breathed a sigh when the last sliver was gone, and the only sign that the sun had moved to give light and warmth to another part of the globe was the reddish glow on the few, scattered clouds. This really had been the perfect evening, and he was justifiably proud of himself. He was only sad that it would soon be at an end. All that remained was to drive Sonny home before it got too late.

He turned toward his girlfriend to see her face shining with pure joy as she smiled at him. In the jaded, Hollywood world in which he'd spent most of his life, such innocent expressions were exceedingly rare. Seeing her like that, he fell in love with her all over again.

"You know, I think that was better than a Lake Michigan sunset," she informed him. She tilted her head thoughtfully and added, in a playful tone, "It might be just the company, though."

Chad should have been ready with some witty rejoinder, but even if something had come to mind, he was sure he would have remained speechless. He could only stare at her, wondering what good deeds he'd ever done to deserve such a wonderful person in his life.

Now, whispered a small voice in his mind. Somehow, he knew exactly what that meant. Bringing up his free hand, he slid it into her hair and leaned forward. Maybe she sensed what was happening because he felt a slim hand slide around his neck.

Thankfully, there were no interruptions this time. Their mouths met in a first kiss that exceeded all of Chad's expectations. For perhaps the first time in his life, he allowed himself to truly get lost in a moment. He felt hyper-aware of everything: the wind in his hair, the smell of Sonny's skin underneath the salty covering, the taste of her mouth, the reassuring pressure of her hand on the back of his neck.

When they drew apart, as at some unspoken signal, he had no idea how long the kiss had lasted. It didn't look that much darker, so it couldn't have been long. They gazed at one another, smiling broadly.

"Definitely worth waiting for," Sonny murmured.

"Most definitely," Chad agreed. He regretfully shook off the spell. "I need to get you home before your mother forbids you to ever see me again."

"Don't be ridiculous; my mother loves you," Sonny waved off his concerns. "We should still get moving, though. We both need to be bright and energetic on the set tomorrow." They'd both arranged to have a late starting time for the next morning, but even so, getting enough sleep was important. Packing up their things, they returned to the car and headed out.


Author's Note: Okay, time for audience participation. What do you want to happen next? I was considering wrapping it up next chapter, but if you'd like to see a little more development, I'd be happy to consider ideas. Keep in mind that the longer I stretch this out, the more likely it is that I'll have to start acknowledging later episodes. Incidentally, shouldn't Chad be having another birthday pretty soon?

Review responses:

Thank you to Wisdomousgem, WolfLover314, PurpleConverse323, Alyona77, iLoveRomance2010, and chadsonville for reviewing Chapter 2. Thank you also to Imma Anna Bee for reviewing Chapter 1 after I posted Chapter 2.

Keirah: Yeah, I know what you mean. Although there are plenty of Sonny/Chad stories out there, you have to sift through a lot to find ones that are worth the time to read. I thought it made sense for them to be at different points in their relationship right now.

Blokken.: I'm not sure what you mean by disheartening, but it does seem to me that Chad's had a lot longer to develop his feelings for Sonny. She's attracted to him, sure, and she seems generally happy with him as a boyfriend, but he was such a jerk to her for almost a year that it's more adjustment for her.

Sparrow Logan: Well, thank you. Sonny being a little behind in falling in love seemed to match both her character and my own real-life experiences. The show can be incredibly silly, but I prefer to inject some realism when I write.

rorouni007: Thank you very much! I'm sorry for being cruel last chapter, but cliffhangers leave the readers wanting more, right?:) This should have been a much more satisfying chapter.

Summerlovrr: Yeah, Chad suffered a bit at my hands. He got a great night out of it, though!