Disclaimer: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, but all the reviews in the world will not get me SWAC. Sigh.

Once again, I love you reviewers. You make my week! You guys are the most amazing people ever! Woo!

So here's the billionth chapter in my way too long story. Hope you like ;)

Chad.

xXx

The clock ticked slowly by. I listened to the steady rhythm, frowning on every thirty-seventh when the sound was a second off beat. I tapped my foot along with it, passing the time. The certain tick came around again, and I grimaced at the annoying sound. The rain outside messed up my pattern and I growled.

My mind flashed back to the time I first morphed into a wolf because a bird was singing much too loudly for my taste. I sighed, remembering how freaked out I was.

I have killed dozens of vampires in the eighteen years I've lived. And now I'm thinking about marrying one? Every tick of the clock gone by I wonder why she didn't have the smarts to have just fought me off when we locked eyes that day. When I followed her into the forest and told her what I was, not afraid because I just knew in my heart that she was different- I had seriously seen it with my own eyes. That was enough to drive any werewolf away.

But everything about her pulls me in. Everything from her sincere attitude to her mouthwatering smell. I rubbed the back of my neck, hearing the voices of Sonny and Lucy in the other room. She makes me feel so…I don't know. I didn't know how to describe it- the only way I could was if I described it indescribable.

When my pack was in the backyard not a mile from where I stood now, I had been torn. Was I betraying my own race? The answer you could find in my eyes, actions, printed on my forehead- yes. But then again…wouldn't the cheesy way of saying that be like: Do anything for love- or something around there? I was clueless. I've never felt any attraction toward anything. Especially someone like Sonny- a vampire. Well, unless the attraction was of a murderous lust. But whatever love was or how they describe it, I was pretty doggone sure I was feeling it.

And I've fallen so hard I'm using the word "doggone".

Wow.

Taking a deep breath, my knees shook.

I was betraying my own race. That's what I was doing when I killed the wolves who tried to hurt what I love. It would have been so much easier if they had just understood. So much easier of they had accepted the fact that Sonny Monroe was different, and that I loved her. But they couldn't, and they wouldn't. But shouldn't they? Would it be so wrong to bring peace between the two? Vampire and werewolf…we would be invincible against anything- any threat. But no werewolf in the world has ever fallen in love with their enemy.

She's on the rival show, too. That little perk just adds to my irritation.

One day I'm going to have to go back to work and quit. I have billions of dollars as it is. Then again, when word gets out that the Chad Dylan Cooper left Mackenzie Falls rumors would fly and the media would have a good chance of seeing something or someone they shouldn't.

Someone like Lucy.

My brow crumpled as I considered this. Restraining orders were always sensible, but would the paparazzi go as far as coming to Sonny's home? Did they even know where she lived? Possibly. Did they know where I live? Yes. Would they come if it meant a brilliant lie of a story and some big bucks? Probably. I shook my head. I might as well literally be stuck in between a million rocks and hard places. Anything but this.

Though I wouldn't give Sonny up for the world.

I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to sum up my problems. I want to marry the enemy whom I am in love with, I want to quit the job that I have had for years and pull the media onto me, and I have to deal with the Vampire Kings.

I've never seen them on real life before, but whenever I come close to thinking that name a deadly shiver runs up my spine. They were pretty much the cause of all my problems. And the worst they could do was kill all of us and just forget Sonny's and my love affair ever existed. Or even worse, kill one of us and leave the other to live.

I let out another breath I wasn't aware I'd been holding. My life had taken a few turns- some for the best and some for the worst, but before this I was clueless. Just living off of Riley and his stupid orders. I smiled, remembering when I tricked him into thinking I didn't love Sonny enough to actually still be under his spell.

I recall some sort of…"rule" I guess, about that. It was almost impossible that I could have defied Riley. All the other times I had found obvious loopholes since the boos had been going sloppier by the week, but that time was dead on. He told me to kill her. How do you get around that?

You have to be stronger than him. In anything. At one point in your werewolf life you have had to be stronger than him in any way. For example, you could be physically stronger, find a loophole and finish him that way. You can hate stronger0 but you cannot hate him. The feeling reflects off his authority and you could hurt yourself. And then there was the way I did it- the loving way.

I was so much in love with Sonny that I killed Riley because of it.

And it had felt really good.

So can't I do it over again and just kill all the royal vamps with Sonny, Collin, and the others? At first I thought, why not? But then my mind traced to the fact that it couldn't really be that simple. So let's make Lucy a vampire, get Collin back, control my pack and kill the Malexia…and then after that commit my love to Sonny and live happily ever after.

I know from some experience that for certain people that happily ever after they wished for does not exist.

Did I trust enough my love for Sonny to risk it by doing just that? By…loving her? Either way we were going to lose. But then again it could be said either way we were going to win. But against what?

I wasn't even entirely sure what I was talking about anymore.

Happily ever afters existed for some people. They just had to. So what are the chances that Sonny and I couldn't have that? We won when we were together. I didn't care if the world was ending, I just needed to be by her side. All the time.

Should I risk hurting her by loving her?

I didn't know.

…But how far should you go in the name of love?

xXx

Sonny.

"Lucy," I sighed after she yawned for the billionth time. "You're exhausted."

"I don't know…aaahhh…" she yawned again. "What you're talking about."

"Come on. I'm not just going to magically disappear tomorrow. Let's go."

"Ugh. Fine. Is Collin coming back soon?"

I bit my lip. "No, Lucy. Why do you already seem a little obsessed over him?"

"Am not!" She objected tiredly.

"Yeah, yeah. We'll see."

I smelled Chad in the living room. I practically dragged Lucy up the steps because of how tired she was. I wanted to just swing her easily over my shoulder and run up the stairs at lightning speed, throw her on the bed and go sit next to Chad. He seemed so distracted since Collin left. So…weird.

"Come on, Luce." I whispered.

She trudged up the stairs and flopped onto the guest bed. I let out a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. Worry struck me. Had Lucy noticed I was not breathing? But as she snuggled into the never ending sheets she was zonked in seconds. I smiled at her, remembering that I had missed her terribly when she was gone. But now I just want her to leave again so I didn't have to do what I had to do.

Sigh.

I brushed some of the hair out of her face and patted her cheek twice before leaving the room. Before closing the door behind me I whispered, "Good night, Luce. Hope your dreams are better than reality." And then I heard the soft click of the door and I flew downstairs.

Immediately I was on the couch next to him, but on the complete other side. He was on the first cushion and I was on the third. I didn't like being in the same area as him not snuggled up against his side, breathing in his intoxicating scent. But something was bothering him, and I feared it included me.

"She's sleeping." I stated the obvious in a low breath.

He just nodded, lost in thought.

"Chad." I whispered, my hand hesitantly coming out to touch his thigh. When I made contact his body responded a little by a small jump and his eyes cleared of clouds. I pulled it back, unsure of what to do.

"Come here, Sonny." He sighed, reaching out to me.

A huge smile came onto my lips as I snuggled into his arms. He was hot- very hot. It took me a second to get used to the temperature. I took deep, unnecessary breaths as I took in his scent.

"I'm sorry."

His breath hitched for a moment before he asked, "Why?"

"I don't know. You look upset, and I figure you're not going to tell me anything so I just said I'm sorry to pretend as if I knew what was going on."

He chuckled.

"What did Collin say to you that's made you so troubled?" I fished. "What did you talk about that's made you so upset?"

"Collin and I didn't talk about anything important." He told me, his eyes closing. Something told me this wasn't the total truth. "He just told me why he was leaving and that he wasn't sure when he was coming back."

I thought about what I had overheard:

"What? Dude, are you serious?" Collin had asked with excitement in his voice.

"Get out of my head." Chad hissed.

I heard the click of the door opening, only to hear it close once again.

Collin gasped slightly. "You're not kidding, are you?"

I had wondered feebly what they were talking about, not incredibly fascinated. But I was indeed curious.

"Yes, I know. Just shut up. It was just a thought."

Why couldn't they just say it aloud?

"A very reasonable thought." Collin said.

It was a moment before Chad answered him. "Really?"

"Do you know how many times her mind has flitted across that?" I had pretended to go to the bathroom so I could be closer to the back door. I couldn't make out everything until I made it out of Lucy's sight and was about twenty feet away from the secretive men; the only thing between us a wall. "I'm not, kidding man. You guys are pretty crazy for each other."

Chad isn't crazy for anyone but me, right?

When Chad spoke again there was doubt in his tone. "Do you even think it's possible?"

I could almost hear Collin rolling his eyes, letting out a sharp, exasperated breath. "You're still not over the 'I'm a werewolf and you're a vampire and I was supposed to kill you weeks ago' thing?"

Okay, so it's me, I had thought.

"Well, yeah, but is she?"

Duh!

"Yes." Collin confirmed his suspicions.

Chad was stern. "Leave…"

I zoomed back to Lucy, fixing my hair and coming back into the scene with a sly ease. Chad came in a minute later, and confusion swept through me, never leaving.

I focused more on reality.

"Chad." I said sternly.

He looked at me confusedly at my change of tone. I wiggled out of his grasp and he pulled his arms back. I saw goosebumps rise o his arms from the change of temperature.

Sighing exasperatedly, I stood and ran my fingers through my wavy hair. I took a deep breath, a shiver rolling through me despite myself. I just wanted all of this stupid stuff to be over. All my troubles just wash away- but that means Chad would go too. It was the most confusing paradox I will ever experience.

"Chad," I said again.

He leaned forward, putting his hand on his knees with an intent look on his beautiful face.

"I…I'm in love with you. You know that, right?"

He smiled softly, his eyes sparking. "Yes. As I love you."

"But are you in love with me?"

"Of course!" He said. Unsure of where the conversation was going, he stood to add meaning to the words.

I put a hand up. "Sit."

After a minute he did what he was told.

"Listen. I love you. As we just covered you feel the same way. So…if we love each other as much as we say and feel as though we do, we need to be strong. We've been through a whole lot of crap, Chad, but we survived that. And it's not over."

Chad just stared at me, and for a second I stared back. "In order for us to be strong, we need to trust each other. And trust consists of telling me what you know that I have an equal right to know. You can understand that."

He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it as a look of denial came to his features.

"Chad!" I whispered-screamed.

"Sonny, I'm not keeping anything from you."

"Oh, yeah. And trust consists of the truth. Chad, are you lying to me?"

He stood, giving me a hard look when I was about to push him back down. Sighing, he also ran his fingers through his hair- a habit we became used to because of the other.

"The worst kind of lying is lying for a good cause. And I'm not lying to you, Sonny…I'm just…keeping it from you."

"That is completely unnecessary." I crossed my arms, trying to keep my voice from rising too high.

He noticed. "Let's take this outside."

I stubbornly trudged out the door. He followed, closing the door behind us softly as to not wake Lucy. She sleeps like a rock, and I knowing this and Chad' s actions made me want to giggle, but I kept it bottled up inside. The rain dropped in to us but neither cared. We stared each other down.

I launched into more questions. "What has flitted across my mind so much? What are you keeping from me? What does Collin know? Why is it for a good cause-"

"Sonny, this is completely unnecessary!" Chad brought back my words.

"Well!" I exclaimed, not knowing what else to do.

"It's not even a big deal…"

"Oh," I shook my head, anger rising. "Do not give me that."

"Sonny…" He whispered. "I've given you everything."

My heart melted a little bit.

And you know what he did?

I'll tell you what he did.

He turned to look me straight on, his eyes holding mine. His held a deep emotion, and his head dipped to the side in a perfect angle as he stared into my eyes. His hair was wet, causing it to sparkle in the moonlight. He grabbed my hand for just a second, and if I was human my knees would have gave out. But I'm a vampire…all they did was wobble. Only a bit though.

I gasped quietly. "Ugh!" I closed my eyes, turning away and walking a few yards from him. He stayed put. "I cannot believe you just did that!"

"Well!" He copied.

"You are so…so…"

"Amazing? Charming? Adorable?"

"Chad," I said, tears of frustration springing in my eyes. "I'm serious. If you love me you would understand."

"That's not fair, Sonny."

I didn't think we'd end up arguing- fighting. I took a few deep breaths.

"What are you keeping from me?"

What was something so important that I couldn't know? Did it have to do with Lucy and Collin? I was so confused and had nothing to work off of. He didn't drop any hints. Why was he doing this? It made me infuriated. I wanted to punch something but I knew it would only shatter into a million pieces like my dignity was right now. I brought back my shoulders and lifted my chin, trying to look in control.

"Are you going to tell me?" I whispered brokenly, trying to get him to crack.

He slumped a little, staring at my expression. I couldn't tell if it was working or not, but I just needed to know.

He shook his head. "No."

The word made me take a sharp breath in and turn away, a tear falling.

"Sonny. It's nothing that could cause danger or anything bad if I tell you. It's nothing about the Malexia, about Lucy, Collin, anything. It's my decision not to tell you. Please don't make it such a huge deal."

I couldn't believe this. He wasn't telling me! We tell each other everything. That's what lovers do, right? When people are in love they trust and tell each other everything.

"If it won't cause anything bad than you can tell me."

"Sonny…" He walked back toward me. "I just can't tell you now."

"What does that mean?" I asked hopelessly to myself. I continued to Chad. "If you love me, you won't keep this from me."

Anger swept through his eyes. I was surprised when he grabbed my arm rather roughly and tugged me toward the back of the house as we were on the side of it.

"Chad, what are you doing?" I asked, walking along slowly enough for him to still try and drag me.

He was silent. In a minute we were by the corner of the house. Still not being exactly gentle with me, he pushed me up on the wall. I looked up at him with fear.

Then an image flashed through my mind. Chad put his hands on the house on either side of my head as he did just now, and leaned toward me, taking deep breaths.

"What are you doing Chad?" I whispered. He was always making me nervous, and I cursed at myself for letting my feelings get the best of me when I was supposed to be acting strong.

"Being close to you." He answered, his nose skimming across my collarbone. The scene was extremely familiar. "You smell incredible in the rain."

I stopped breathing, noting that when I did it was staggering. I closed my eyes, feeling his skin slightly against mine. I shivered, my body trembling slightly.

The rain was cold. His skin was hot. It was the perfect balance and it was driving me up the wall.

"Chad." I whispered.

His fingertips trailed across my arms lightly, up and down and repeating the pattern. We were fighting! I shouldn't be allowing this.

It was weak when I said it. "Back up."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Ugh…" I said halfheartedly, not entirely wanting him away from me.

His hands went down and touched my thighs, moving up to cross my hips and then back up my arms.

"That was the first fight we'd ever had." I recalled softly. He didn't answer.

Now his nose skimmed the bottom of my jaw, and my lips parted slightly. He noticed the desperate movement and kept a smirk off his features, but I saw it creeping onto his face. He kept it back. I closed my eyes, focusing on every touch, every sigh.

His lips softly came to contact with my ear, but he didn't actually kiss it. His hot breath was now on my cheek, and I brought in a staggered breath.

He came up and kissed both my eyelids incredibly slowly, and came back down. His hands settled into mine and suddenly our fingers were intertwined. I opened my eyes to stare at him. His eyes were still closed as he breathed in my scent. One of his hands came out of mine to stroke my cheek as he opened his eyes and spoke.

"I would lie and keep a billion things from you before I ever denied the fact that I was in love with you." He literally spoke into my lips. "Do you know that, Sonny?"

His thumb traced circles on my cheek. I wanted to stop time and make this moment last forever. Once again his faced moved so that he could barely kiss my cheek. The motion made me gasp at his tenderness.

I decided to answer. "Yes."

He chuckled. "You didn't seem to know that a minute ago."

"Well…" I said. I wanted to smile, but I was afraid that any movement would change the feeling of the moment. I had enough desperation in me to bring my hands up and clutch his shirt, bringing him impossibly closer than he already was.

Now he couldn't bring the smirk off his face.

"I am in love with you, Sonny." He confirmed the fact.

"And I am in love with you, Chad."

He seemed to debate something. "I…"

I waited for him to say something, noting that there wasn't anything between us. His body was pressed up against mine.

"I don't really know how to do this." He said.

I could detect fear in his tone and features.

"Chad?" I whispered.

"If you want to know so badly…" He said. He was going to tell me. He was going to tell me!

I waited as patiently as I could, nodding a small nod for him to continue.

"I…uh…"

I brought my hand to his cheek now. "You can tell me anything, Chad."

He looked into my eyes, and I looked into his.

I yearned to touch my lips to his, but I would rather die than do anything to disturb this moment. The rain picked up and made the most romantic atmosphere I could think up.

I wasn't prepared for what was coming.

"I want to be with you forever, Sonny. And I mean forever forever…for the rest of eternity. You kind of complete me, and I couldn't think of a different cheesy way to say that. I'm in love with you, and nothing seemed as brilliant as it did when I met you. When I told you that I wanted you. And now…I…I want to take it to the next step."

Oh, my God.

"I want to marry you, Sonny Monroe. I love you."

What neither of us were prepared for was my response.

xXx

Aaaaaaaah! Can you believe that? Woah! I am sooo horrible for that cliffy! ;) I guess you'll have to review and see what happens…REVIEW IN THE NAME OF CHANNY! Love you all

Paramore4eva0602 ;)