Channy with a Chance

Mr. Condor casts Sonny onto Mackenzie Falls to guest-star as Mackenzie's new love interest. But when fan reaction triggers an extended stay on Mackenzie Falls, how will her friends at So Random! react? And what of her relationship with Chad? S/C

"Sonny Monroe, Mr. Condor is here to see you. Please report to the front desk immediately."

Sonny's head instinctively snapped towards the intercom when she heard her voice being called. "Mr. Condor?" She asked. "Why does he want me? I haven't done anything bad, have I?"

Tawni clapped her hand on Sonny's back. "If he fires you, then just know that all of you will be here to support you."

"Really?"

Tawni nodded. "Of course! If you're fired, then I'll be the prettiest girl in Studio 3 again! The spotlight will no longer have to be shared." Tawni stared into the distance, dreamily. Most likely an act.

"Thanks Tawni," Sonny replied sarcastically. "See you guys in a minute!" She picked up her jacket and left the room.

"Gee, I sure hope Sonny's gonna be all right. I mean, Mr. Condor is infamous for firing people. Remember how he fired everyone at Studio 5 just the other day?" Nico asked.

Grady nodded, "Who would forget that? Their executive director was distraught!"

"He wouldn't fire Sonny. She's the reason why the latest poll puts us just below Mackenzie Falls – by a slim margin of half a point," Zora pointed out. "Besides, the fans love her!"

"Do you have to shove it in my face?" Tawni frowned.

"W-wait. We're trailing Mackenzie by half a point? Why didn't anyone tell me this?" Nico's head shot up, excited.

Zora shrugged. "Didn't think I needed to. Thought you already knew."

"Mr. Condor, how nice to see you again!" Sonny said, smiling. Yes, just continue sucking-up, and you'll get out of this.

"Do you honestly think that a studio exec like me who has been working around adolescents for decades can be fooled by your little "sucking-up?" Crap

"But I don't know why you're even doing it," Mr. Condor continued, "do I really have that bad of a reputation of firing people?"

"N-no, sir, no sir, not at all!" Sonny replied.

Mr. Condor shook his head. "Once again, I can sense your falsehoods in your reply. I've had years of experience of detecting such things after raising Dakota. You might think that I spoil her – she's in for a surprise when her eighteenth birthday rolls around. Anyway, enough about me. This is about you..."

"Mr. Condor?"

"Yes, sorry, excuse my rambling. I'm aware of this little...feud...between the casts of So Random! and Mackenzie Falls. But after watching your performance in that prom sketch, I realized that you would be perfect for the new character that the writers have envisioned for Mackenzie Falls. Now, don't you worry, you'll just be guest-starring..."

"Y-yeah, but, sir, my friends won't be happy seeing me on Mackenzie Falls, you know."

"Ah, yes, now that's the punch!"

"W-what, sir?"

"Never mind that, Sonny. The thing is that all actors go on to something more important. You can't remain in a comedy sketch show your whole life! Guest-starring on Mackenzie Falls will be great for your career!"

"Yeah, but...I don't know..."

"Just think about it," Mr. Condor continued. "You'll be Mackenzie's new love interest. Won't that be exciting?"

"No...not really..."

"Come on, its not like you'll actually be kissing him or anything; its all just an act. But suit yourself. I'd like a reply by next week, at the latest. You can ask Marshall to contact me once you've decided. By the way, your performance in the prom sketch really was amazing. Good evening." He nodded his head and left so quickly that Sonny swore he simply disappeared.

Mr. Condor knows everything that goes on at the lot. And Sonny didn't hesitate to tell her colleagues that when she returned to the prop room – although she wasn't ready yet to tell them the surprisingly attractive new proposal to work on Mackenzie Falls to be Mackenzie's love interest. Its not like she liked Chad or anything; she just wanted to try something new.

"So what did Mr. Condor want?" Zora asked, for the up-tenth time.

"I already told you, he just wanted me to congratulate me for my performance in the prom sketch..."

"Come on," Nico said, "There's no way that Mr. Condor came all the way over here just to congratulate you on a stupid sketch! What did he really say?"

"Nothing! I told you, it's not important."

"You're a really bad liar, Sonny, but I guess I'll just take your word for it," Tawni said.

Sonny was taken aback. Tawni usually didn't let things like this slide; she'd continually bicker and push until she got answers. But Sonny obviously didn't complain; this change in attitude suited her. What she needed was time to contemplate the new developments and make a decision. Would she take the opportunity to enhance her new career, or risk losing her friends and have to cooperate with the Mackenzie Falls cast? Showbiz sure required lots of sacrifices.

"Hey, guys, I'm going on a fro-yo run. Want any?"

"That's two chocolate creams for Grady and me," Nico yelled.

"Banana please!" Tawni exclaimed.

Zora, who had just recently climbed back into her mummy coffin immediately opened the cover and yelled, "Vanilla!"

Sonny nodded. "Gotcha. I'll be right back."

This was a perfect opportunity for Sonny to get some privacy and recollect her thoughts. Working on the So Random! cast had its fair share of perks, but it came at the expense of time. Sonny never had much free time anymore, and the walks in the corridors between breaks were the most she could usually manage.

She weighed her options once again. If she accepted the offer to guest-star on Mackenzie Falls, then she would risk being shunned by her friends. "Although if they shunned you, then they aren't really your friends." But she'd also have to work and cooperate with those idiot Falls, and the biggest idiot, Chad. "Come on, don't tell me that you wouldn't like working with Chad." Sonny shook her head. Shut up.

After a few minutes of internal chaos within her head, Sonny found that she had absentmindedly wandered into Studio 11. Not entirely sure how she got there, or the way to return (Studio 11 wasn't even part of the Condor Studios lot), Sonny decided to absently wander more. Perhaps she would run into someone who could take her back. She still had time to grab the fro-yo and explain that she was held up in line.

After nearly a half hour of aimless wandering, Sonny heard applause deep inside the studio. This was the first indication of any form of civilization that she had heard – Studio 11 was eerily empty. She followed the sound of the applause, hoping to perhaps find a crew or a group of screenwriters cheering over an accomplishment.

"Sonny? What are you doing here?"

Sonny whirled around and her eyes landed of Chad's blue eyes. His crystal, ocean-blue eyes.

"Chad? Might I ask what you're doing here?"

Chad smiled. "I asked first."

"My question's more important."

"We asked the same questions." Chad smirked. He already knew how Sonny ended up in Studio 11. Sonny was quick to catch the smirk, but she wasn't about to give Chad the satisfaction that she had unwittingly wandered so far away from the Condor Studios Lot.

"Yeah, but I asked second."

Whatever Chad was expecting, that wasn't it. "What?"

Sonny shook her head. "Never mind, just tell me how to get back to Condor Studios."

Chad grinned again. "So you did get lost. My hunches usually turn out accurately."

Sonny frowned. "Shut up, Cooper. Just tell me how to get back."

Chad's grin grew ever wider. "Sorry, can't do that, Monroe," he glanced at his watch. "Commercial is almost over and I've got to get back on stage. And you didn't say the magic word!" He turned around and walked away.

Sonny jogged and caught up to Chad. "Please? Can you please show the way back to Condor Studios?"

Chad shook his head. "Sorry Sonny, but I can't. I really can't. I've got an interview with–"

"Hold it," a burly security guard clambered up to us. "Who's she?"

"It's all right. She's a guest."

The security guard simply grunted. "'K"

Chad began walking again and Sonny followed suit. Obviously, the guard misunderstood the word "guest" or else the fiasco to happen would never have happened, and Sonny could have returned to Condor Studios without being embarrassed on television.

She stepped around the curtains to be greeted by thunderous applause and bright lights that temporarily blinded Sonny. Over the applause, Sonny heard a familiar voice begin speaking, and immediately directed her eyes towards the source of the sound. She was met with two bewildered faces staring at her. One was Chad, and the other was Ellen. Sonny knew how to put two and two together. Interview. Ellen DeGeneres. Thunderous applause. Bright Lights. She had, by following what she thought would lead her back to Condor Studios, inadvertently and effectively interrupting a live filming of The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

The grin on Chad's face was plain as day. He was planning on seriously humiliating her. The editors that work for Ellen would never cut out such a scene...her embarrassment would shoot up ratings as the audience would think it a magnificent scripted routine. But she would know that it wasn't. And so would Chad. Stupid Chad.

Hmmm, I may have wandered slightly off track. But it doesn't matter, I hope you enjoyed it! R&R (Even though this is perhaps the worst chapter I've ever written...)