Last Chapter before the epilogue!

Thank you to Channylover08, past decembers, and Demon of Angels: my reviewers from last chapter.

Please excuse the extreme cheesiness you are about to encounter :P

Also note that bolded words are accented when the characters say them x)

The door slowly squeaked open and his breath caught in his throat. It was her. The hood of her read coat was pulled over her head again, and he could see the tips of her hair peaking out. Her face was cast in a shadow, but he could tell it was her. Maybe she was finally going to show him her identity…

"Chad... I'm sorry I ran off from you like that... It's just hard for me to get close to someone... Especially someone who I was already close to once before, who I tried so hard not to fall for but obviously did anyways and-" her stop was abrupt when she realized she was starting to ramble.

"I just want to say sorry for that - for everything."

As he listened to her little speech, he was more confused than he had ever been. What did she have to be sorry about? Hadn't they only just met? Did he know this girl from some earlier time in his life? To be honest, her voice did seem incredibly familiar now that she wasn't choked up and on the verge of tears anymore…

Both of their hearts were pounding as she reached up to remove her hood.

Sonny didn't dare look at him as her hair fell around her shoulders. She knew he wouldn't ever want to talk to her again after all the things she had done to him. "Look, I know you probably don't even ever want to see me again, but I just wanted to let you know it was me. Just so you know it's not like I just ditched you at our meeting… So...ya, I'll just go now..."

Sonny kept her eyes averted and turned back towards the door, carefully turning the handle and beginning to open the door. She felt a hand gently push the door closed before she had a chance to slip through. She shyly glanced up at him and gasped in surprise when she realized how close his face was to hers.

"Wait a minute," he whispered and seemed to take a second to recollect his thoughts. "If you're… but that means that you… but it can't be… because then you…" His apparent confusion with the situation helped Sonny to feel less awkward, and the tension between the two slowly began to fade.

Sonny giggled when he scrunched up his face with bewilderment. He looked so cute, young and carefree when he did that.

"Are you laughing at me?" he inched his face even closer to hers with mock seriousness, so she could smell his minty breath and was instantly captivated by his ocean blue eyes.

"…No." Her hesitance was obvious, but at least she managed to keep the stutter out of her voice.

"Good." As he moved away from her, he hoped desperately that she hadn't noticed the effect that such close proximity to her had on him.

Chad began pacing back and forth. "You said that everything started three months ago... You said that you left your boyfriend after you started to love him… But how's that possible...? Three months before that message…we were going out…"

Sonny sat down and waited patiently for him to figure it out. He was always so easily confused when he found out new information which conflicted with something he already knew.

"You love me!" Chad's exclamation rang through the room at an astounding level. "I mean, at least you did, you know back… then, before all that happened. Which is really a relief because I felt really stupid that night when I told you I loved you and you said that you didn't love me, and Chad Dylan Cooper does not like feeling stupid. I really shouldn't have…It's "

Sonny smiled at his rambling. He had referred to himself the third person again. Clearly he was feeling much better again, because his ego was starting to grow once more.

"…so I really wish I had waited longer to tell you that I love you, because I lost you, and I really wish I hadn't because I didn't stop loving y- I mean…Chad Dylan Cooper doesn't love! and uh-"

"And Sonny Monroe thinks you should shut up." She grinned at him, in an effort to show him how silly talking in third person sounded.

"Sorry…," he smiled sheepishly, and sat down next to her. "Am I right though? Did you really love me back then?" As he got over his momentary embarrassment, his expression turned curious again.

Sonny sighed. She knew it would come to this. Admitting her feelings was not easy, but she was determined. "Yes… and not just back then… I - I haven't really been able to get over what we had and what I destroyed back then. What I mean is… well… basically…"

Chad looked at her sitting there looking so incredibly sweet and innocent as she opened up her heart to him. "It's okay. You don't have to say it, I understand"

"Thank you. It's just, I don't know…"

"No listen, it's what I'm here for."

Sonny giggled, remembering the time when she had said exactly those words to Chad almost two years ago.

"What do you say we give it another try? I mean we don't have to go out again right away or anything, but can we start again from the beginning?"

"How far back to the beginning? …You're not planning on stealing yogurt and parking spots from me, are you?"

Chad's laughter rang through the room. "Just as long as you promise not to challenge me to games for four to seven year olds."

"It's a deal." Sonny grinned. Even though this whole ordeal had been ever so stressful, it really seemed like she and Chad had gotten closer because of this.

"How about we start with getting some pizza? Just as long as we don't have to get a Hawaiian pizza, I mean pineapples on pizza, who does that?"

She laughed again, and it would not be the last time that night, and definitely not the last time in her life.

Sheesh, I totally just ran out of appropriate synonyms for smile and laugh. :P

To Channy fans out there who have watched each episode a multitude of times like me, there are references to three different episodes of Sonny with a Chance. I know they're not all terribly difficult to find, but I challenge you to find them and figure out what episode they're from. I would give some kind of prize if you get it right, but I don't really know what I can offer over the internet, so oh well, unless you have a suggestion for a prize that's not too outrageous. :P

If you have any comments on the resolution of my story (or suggestions on how to make it better of course) please review. I reply to all the reviews I receive, and I'd really like to know how the end came across. :)

I'll try to upload the epilogue in the next week, but it will definitely be up next weekend, if not earlier. :)