Disclaimer: I own nothing, not SWAC, not anything.

Take Two.

(a.k.a)

An unexpected display of emotion.

It was Friday, the night before Sonny would leave for her movie. The studio was holding a goodbye party and every show was invited. Tawni had even given Sonny a gift. It was a dress Sonny had been admiring on their last shopping trip. Tawni claimed it was so she wouldn't be embarrassed while with her but Sonny knew it was her way of showing she cared. It was beautiful, a one shouldered little black dress. Sonny mixed it up a bit by adding a giant studded belt and a purple blazer.

THREE HOURS EARLIER:
Something was puzzling Sonny. Everybody was acting weird. Marshall kept dabbing his eyes with a napkin. Nico and Grady were consuming massive amounts of food, even by their normal standards. Zora was talking to herself in another language, different than her usual combination of Latin, German and Gibberish. Tawni was if possible over-preening and avoiding conversation with Sonny. And Chad was nowhere to be seen. Since their movie night, she hadn't seen head nor tail of him.

Sonny felt as if she had a fatal contagious disease the way people were avoiding her. So she went on a hunt and located Chad's stash of megaphones from the time he'd made a biopic about his life. She marched with it onto the set of So Random.

"ATTENTION!" She yelled into it.

Everyone froze and swivelled to see who was so loud.

"Why is everyone avoiding me? Did I do something wrong?" Sonny asked into the megaphone. She was feeling terrible. No one had said a kind word to her at all on her last day and she felt like crying.

"No, no Sonny, why would you think that?" Marshall said as he walked over to her.

"Because you keep crying, Nico and Grady eat instead of talk to me, Zora's off in a world of her own avoiding me, and Tawni is being really cold... more so than usual" Sonny wiped angry tears from her eyes, "It's my last day, and I wanted to remember it as something great. I guess being new and all I don't deserve something great. I get it now" She whispered into the megaphone. She clicked it off, let it drop to the floor and then walked quickly out of Stage 3.

She walked out into the car park and climbed into the So Random! golf cart. Sonny folded her arms and rested her head on them. She felt tears map their way down her face. Why were they acting this way? She wondered.
After awhile she felt the presence of someone else in the cart. They didn't mumble, joke, preen or say something odd so Sonny ruled out and So Random! member. She refused to look up and hoped they'd leave. After half an hour, or what felt like that, they still hadn't left. Reluctantly Sonny raised her head. Sitting next to her in golf cart with his legs outstretched and his face getting a tan in the weak spring sunshine, was Chad Dylan Coooper.

"'Sup Monroe?"

Sonny just groaned and made to get out of the cart only to have Chad pull her back in.

"Chad, just let me go"

"No"

"Why?"

"Not until you explain why you're crying in a golf cart of all places!"

"Why do you even care?" Sonny asked feeling defeated.

"Who said I care? I intend on sending whatever you say to Sharona for an exclusive on Sonny Monroe"

Sonny rolled her eyes, Chad Dylan Cooper would do that to everybody, but Sonny had a feeling he wouldn't do it to her. So she decided to confide in him. Expressively. She said all she had to say by slapping Chad across his face.
His eyes bulged and his hand came up to feel where her hand had made contact with him.

"What is with you? You're a pyscho!"

Sonny laughed but felt tears continue to roll down her face.

"I just told you what was wrong. I'm angry"

"No, you just slapped me"

"Which expressed my anger"

"But now you're crying"

"Expressing my sadness and hurt"

Sonny couldn't contain her tears anymore and she began to sob, so hard that she developed a hitch in her breath, like a child would.
Chad stared at her for a few seconds, she was obviously emotionally messed up today. But without realising what he was doing, he pulled her gently onto his lap and wrapped his arms comfortingly around her. Sonny to his utter shock responded to his show of affection, and she rested her head against his chest.

"Sorry" She said quietly.

"It's ok, I have a spare shirt in my dressing room" Chad quipped sarcastically.

"Ha, no, really, I am. for everything"

"What's everything? You don't have anything to apologise for... except maybe hitting me"

"Yeah, sorry about that. But really Chad, I'm sorry for crying, and being a jerk and doing whatever I did wrong on Wednesday night that had you avoiding me for days"

Chad moaned, "You didn't do anything wrong on Wednesday... I just thought it would be awkward after spending so long together... so I tried to avoid tension between us by avoiding you. And by the way, Sonny, you are the nicest person I know, and the only person who has to physically try to be mean and act like a jerk, you're naturally nice. So stop blaming yourself for whatevers going on in your head" Chad was innerly cringing. He was never this nice to people. But his embarassment disspeared when he felt Sonny smile into his chest, she looked up at him,

"Thanks"

"For what?"

"Everything" She hopped out of the golf cart and walked over to the side where Chad sat. Sonny leaned up and whispered quietly, "You're the person I'm going to miss most Chad" Chad cannot explain the euphoria he felt inside of him when he heard those words, but Sonny wasn't finished, "But if you ever bring this up again or tell anyone I will deny it"

Sonny skipped away and grinned over her shoulder.

"See ya, Monroe" He called after her.

"See ya, oh, and Cooper?"

"Hmm?"

"Get out of the So Random cart before they see you and kill you on the spot"

Sonny felt inexpressively lighter and happier after talking with Chad. She reached the prop room and was ambushed with hugs and people shouting apologies. She was overwhelmed and bewildered.

"Guys, what-"

"We are so sorry. We wanted to act normal so we wouldn't get upset as this is your last day" Grady wailed dramatically before enveloping her in a huge bear hug.

"Yeah, it doesn't hurt if we pretend everything's normal ya see" Nico cried, joining the hug.

"I'm sorry for practising a new language instead of having fun with you" Zora screeched launching herself into the hug.

"I'm sorry for crying, like a baby!" Marshall screamed.

"I'm sorry for being a bitch to you all the time" Tawni squealed. Everyone stared at her in shock, "and for being more pretty than you are obviously" She added, and she too joined in the hug- briefly. Everything was back to normal. And Sonny could not wait to do her last show.

"Let's go everyone! Stage 3 will never have seen such talent and comedy as they will tonight" Sonny cheered loudly, and the rest of the cast joined in as they all made their way to the stage to perform Sonny's final show for two months. It was going to be epic.

PRESENT TIME:
Sonny and the cast of So Random entered the only place that would take so many underage teens and tweens; The largest lot in the studio! It was a huge room, and all of Sonny's friends had covered the entire ceiling with multicoloured balloons. The floor had been blanketed in glitter in every colour of the rainbow.

"It's colourful, like you!" Tawni chirped happily from beside her. She realised her mistake immediately, she was being nice, "It's giving me a headache, just like you too" She whined before leaving Sonny at the edge of the dance floor.

Sonny danced with Nico and Grady for awhile. Then Zora, and then she danced with Tom. He was a nice guy from Mackenzie Falls. He was funny and Sonny laughed at his jokes.

"You're different than I expected" She said as they got a drink.

"How so? I can self-depreciate unlike a certain CDC?"

Laughing she said, "Well that's part of it. You just seem so real"

After a third dance Sonny went to the toilet and when she came back she found Tom with Portlyn, it turns out he also was a flirt. Towards the end of the night, after giving her tiny thank you and goodbye speech, Sonny found herself being asked to dance by Marcus, a gladiator. Too nice to say no, she accepted. She could feel his too-strong arms around her, constricting her breathing.

"So Marcus… how's the show going?" She asked politely.

"You're hot" He grunted in reply.

Ignoring his comment she said, "This song is really good"

"It's not as hot as you"

"Ok… so I'm just going to go over here"

"Is that code? Are we going to make out in a dark corner?" Marcus asked suggestively, his eyes widening.

Sonny had no idea how to react, but she didn't have to- Chad cut in.

"Hey you, Mr. Modern-Day-Neanderthal?"

"Yeah?" Marcus grunted.

"Leave" Chad sasid as he swiftly stepped between the gladiator and Sonny. Despite Chad's being smaller he seemed to intimidate Marcus so he left straight away. Chad took Sonny's hand in his, and put an arm on her waist, while she put one on his shoulder.

"Can we continue Sonny?" He asked smirking.

"Continue what?"

"Our slow dance from your Prom?"

"But it's a fast song, Chad"

"Sonny, Sonny… the last song of the night is always a slow song"

And sure enough, on came Bethany Joy Lenz's cover of Sarah McLachlan's; Elsewhere.

"This song, is so beautiful" Sonny whispered as they began to sway in time to the song.

"So am I"

Sonny scoffed, "Chad, can you not be conceited for one night?"

"Sorry… I'm just… in a weird place right now"

"Why? Where is your weird place at?"

"My head. It's a bit messed up at the moment"

"Care to share?"

"Yeah I'd like to… but I won't unburden on you. Let's just forget about Stages 2 and 3 and just dance, okay?"

"Fine with me"

"So… the JoBros, eh?" Chad mocked, sarcastically.

"Yeah. It's weird, I read somewhere Nick is excited to work with me, isn't that strange?"

"Mmmhmm"

They were silent for awhile before Chad subconsciously pulled Sonny closer, slightly.

"Fine" He suddenly said through a smile, as the final song nearly ended. This would be his last time seeing Sonny for two months. The thought filled him with sadness and another feeling he couldn't understand.

"Fine"

"Fine"

"Good"

"Good"

Again there was a silence, a comfortable silence,

"You look… really pretty tonight Sonny" Chad mumbled, staring at a spot on the wall ahead of him.

Sonny felt her whole body tingle at those words, "You look very handsome tonight too, Chad"

They both smiled. The song ended and they broke apart. Sonny glanced at Chad, he glanced at her. They both looked away, blushing slightly.

"Well… I'll see you in two months Chad"

"See you… Oh, Sonny- wait one second"

"What?"

Chad pulled from his inner pocket a tiny green plastic hamper, the top tied with a green ribbon.

"Sonny-"

"What is that?"

"A… present… for your flight" He said sheepishly handing it over to her.

Sonny peaked in through a gap in the foil and saw about one hundred blue M&M's inside. It was the most thoughtful and beautiful thing anyone had ever done for her, and it was Chad who had done it. She beamed up at him, and said,

"Thank you Chad. Thank you so much"

"It's nothing really" He mumbled as he scuffed his toe against the ground.

"No Chad, it is, really" They kept eye contact for what felt like ever, but Chad broke the silence first.

"I think your mom's waiting for you" Sonny followed his gaze and saw her mom in the doorway.

"Right… thanks again, really, it's the best thing anyone's ever done for me… Bye Chad"

"Bye, Sonny"

Sonny started heading towards the exit, when she instinctively turned back around. Chad was standing still, in the swarm of rushing people, watching her go. When he saw her looking, he shouted after her,

"Call me sometime while you're away, Monroe"

She grinned, "Only if you text me first, Cooper" And then Chad Dylan Cooper grinned, for about half a second, and it became a smirk again. Sonny had seen his grin though, and was delighted. She had a feeling, that in her two month absence, Chad might just text, and the thought made her shiver and caused butterflies to form in her stomach. But good butterflies, ones that left her with a slightly dopey smile on her face. A smile that one person knew about.

Chad watched her walk out the doors with that smile on her face and felt himself give in to his feelings and for a few seconds he let the warmth she could conjure up, wash over him. His smile mirrored what hers had been. And for a short while, Sonny and Chad were in perfect harmony.

Seven hours later, Sonny boarded the flight for New York. Her happiness had diminished, and she was filled with an aching sadness as she opened Chad's gift. For some reason unbeknownst to her, she really felt lost when she thought about not seeing Chad… and the rest of So Random for two entire months. She could never tell Chad, or anyone really, that the reason for her blue M&M fetish was that when she looked into Chad's eyes, they reminded her of two things; the ocean, and blue M&M's. Since then, no other M&M colour has appealed to her, or tasted as good as the blue ones.


Authors Note: Chapter two, up as promised! Wow, thank you so much for the reviews everyone. I thought this would flop, it started off being just an indulgence for me but voila, it's a story now! Thanks to sonnycentral; callmeAZN; RayneCatcher17; xXAFanatic09Xx; AnAbundanceOf - you guys exceeded my expectation of even one review!! So I did the 'three hours earlier' thing as I wanted to show a glimpse of what Sonnys last day would be like. I hope it was ok. Keep reviewing and let me know what you think… in the next chapter, Sonny enters the big apple and bonds with the JoBros... Goodbye...

FireboltPheonix