Author's Note: OMG!!! WE ARE SOOOOO SORRY! Mikki and I haven't had time to write Fanfiction AT ALL! You wouldn't think 8th grade would be this freakin' hard, but it is… and now they're doing re-runs of Teen Titans, which is one of our favorite shows in the world! Distractions, distractions… Oh wells- hopefully, we'll get the next chapter out SOON! Love you guys!

Disclaimer: If we owned SWAC, do you REEEALLY think that Sonny would have kissed a PIG instead of CHAD in "Guess who's coming to Guest Star"???? And would Tawni have actually turned off the TV when Sonny was confessing her feelings to Chad??? Needless to say, we do NOT. ;)

Shadows of the Past

~Chapter 3- Part 1- Panic and Pain~

SONNY'S POV:

Sonny felt it happen all in a blur.

Police sirens' wailing mixed with the honking of ambulances, creating a cacophony of panicked sounds. She heard her heart thud slow, but loudly in her chest. She saw them load Chad's body onto the stretcher. She wanted to cry out for them to be more careful as his limp form got bumped around while being slid into the back of the ambulance, but was afraid that she would scream if she tried to speak.

Chad had been hit by a car just minutes ago, and Sonny wasn't sure if he'd make it. She would never forget the hopelessness that she felt right now- just the feeling that she couldn't do ANYTHING to help him.

She looked up suddenly as she realized that one of the policemen was talking to her, "Miss? Are you all right?"

She managed a small high-pitched squeak, "Sure."

The officer exchanged a knowing look with his comrade, "Why don't you come with us to the hospital?"

This time Sonny could only nod. The officer helped her to her feet and led her to the police car. A vague flash of relief flashed through her brain- she would never leave Chad now. Then again, it was her fault that he was going to the hospital in the first place. She winced as that knowledge stabbed at her heart. As the thought of the hospital entered her mind, Sonny's shock shifted to panic. What if Chad died? The last thing he had said to her was that he hated her. How could she live knowing that?

Pushing her fears aside, Sonny stumbled the rest of the way over to the police car and wearily sat down inside. Soon her eyes began to drift shut, and the yells of authorities and the screech of tires slowly dulled to a soft roar. In a few moments, she passed into sleep, her stress driving her into unconsciousness.

Many Minutes Later…

Sonny's eyelids flickered open as she felt a warm hand shaking her awake. Groggily, she sat up and rubbed her eyes. As her eyes adjusted, she could make out the face of the police officer that had brought her here.

When she saw Chad on a stretcher being lifted out of the ambulance, she quickly exited the car and rushed over to him. She kept repeating, "Is he going to be alright?" but no one responded, except for one woman who held her back.

She spoke with authority, "Don't get in our way, or he won't be alright."

Sonny hung her head and stepped back, making her way to the hospital entrance. She stood in the lobby as the stretcher was wheeled to the emergency room.

After they passed, she started to race after them, but the receptionist stopped her. "Are you a family member, miss?"

Sonny started, "No, but-"

"Then you'll have to stay here. No one else is allowed back there."

Sonny stiffly sat down in one of the brown fabric chairs and anxiously twiddled her thumbs. What was going to happen to Chad? A few nerve-wracking minutes later, she heard concerned voices down the hall, slightly raised.

Sonny hurried over to the front desk again, "You don't understand- I have to go see him!" The receptionist simply shook her head. Sonny raised her voice, "I'm serious! I must!"

A nurse began to stride over to where they were arguing, and she spoke firmly to Sonny, "Is there a problem, ma'am?"

Sonny silently pleaded with her eyes as she begged the nurse, "I need to see Chad! Please, I need to!"

The nurse asked, "Why is it so important that you see him? He's in good hands here."

Sonny's voice faded to a whisper, "Because I love him."

The nurse's eyes softened as she understood, "Why don't you come with me, miss."

Sonny nodded quickly in gratitude and followed her to the back of the hospital. Sonny rapidly paced to the room Chad was in, fearing the worst. She let out a breath of relief when she heard the heart machine beating slowly, but steadily.

Chad had wires attached to him everywhere, and his broken body looked frail on the pale white hospital bed. His hair was a mess, and dirt and grime covered his unconscious form. And there was blood, so much blood… Sonny had to catch her breath as the smell of it hit her nose.

She approached one of the other doctors in the room and choked out, "How much damage did he suffer?"

Without looking up from the reading on the machines, he replied, "Part of the bone in his leg is shattered, his arm is broken, and he has a major concussion."

One of his assistants piped up, "But, we do have a question for you. There were some bruises and fractured ribs- and they don't seem to be caused by getting hit with a car…"

Panic flared up in Sonny's eyes as that registered in her brain, and she fought to keep her expression calm. They couldn't find out about Chad's abuse! Then he'd have a true reason to hate her… "He fell down a flight of stairs just recently," she said brusquely, "He didn't have time to get his injuries look at before…before the accident."

The nurse raised a skeptic eyebrow, but she didn't comment. Then she spoke, "The best thing to do for now is to let him rest, so we'll leave you two alone for a short while."

Sonny nodded her thanks, and the adults left the room. She pulled up a chair to the side of Chad's figure and gazed at him. She wordlessly thanked the universe that he was still here with her, even if he was close to death. Sonny knew that he wouldn't be able to hear her, but she wanted to talk to him anyway.

She began, "Chad… I'm so sorry. All of this is my fault. I shouldn't have been so scared to admit to Tawni that I was helping you because I love you. I should have stopped you from running away, and tried harder to make you understand the truth. Even if you never talk to me again, I just want you to know that I'm sorry. My heart hurts to look at you now, because I know that I'm to blame. I just wanted to help you, but I ended up making things worse. Please, Chad, accept my apology. You mean the world to me, and I want you to know that. I love you."

Sonny's voice cracked halfway through spilling her guts out to the blue-eyed boy on the hospital bed. She could barely choke out the last part, but she needed to tell him what had been weighing on her heart, and what she feared would drive her insane. After a moment, when she realized with a jolt that he wasn't able to respond, she sighed in defeat. If- no, when!- he woke up, she would be able to tell him.

Sonny spoke with a new resolve in her voice, "I'm not leaving you Chad. Whenever you wake up, I'll be here waiting for you."

1 Hour Later…

Sonny shook herself back to reality. She had been zoning in and out of drowsiness, and had almost fallen asleep. She couldn't allow that to happen- not with Chad in the state he was in. Then, a frown appeared on her face. The room hadn't always been this quiet, had it?

Her train of thought was cut short by one long 'BEEEEEP' from the heart machine.

Sonny yelled for help, but the doctor's rushed into the room before she even finished her cry. One man gently, but quickly, pushed Sonny back from Chad's side, to Sonny's dismay. She tried to see over the adults' shoulders, but to no avail. Finally, she stepped back, quietly praying for Chad's life.

She couldn't see what was happening, but she thought she heard someone yell, "Clear!" Her heart began to speed up, until her air was coming in ragged breaths. 'Not again!' she thought in her mind. She couldn't be so close to losing him again!

Sonny looked up when she felt a hand on her shoulders. Kind eyes and a wrinkled face looked down on her. Sonny's heart flipped when she saw the doctor's expression.

"I'm sorry, miss… but there's no more that we can do."

Then her heart broke in two.

"No."

The grown-ups made a gap in the circle around Chad's dying body so Sonny could come to his side. Sonny clutched her aching chest as she fell to her knees.

She screamed, "No! NOOOO!!!! Chad, please don't leave me!!" Tears burst from her reddening eyes as she cried out, "Don't leave me! I love you! Chad, I love you! You can't go!"

For a second, the blonde heartthrob opened his sapphire eyes, which were glazing over, "Sonny…" but then they peacefully closed.

Sonny felt her soul dying inside as the love of her life slowly…faded…..away……

"Chad…" she whispered, "Don't…leave…me…"

And then she crashed to the floor.

~~*~~

Author's Note: Wowzers… we ARE evil! Aren't we, Mikki? Mikki: Totally! Lolz. Kaori: Hee hee! Well, REVIEW! That way the next chapter will be up sooner! ;) Thanks to ALL of our reviewers- we weren't able to keep up with you guys this chapter, but thank you SO MUCH! Your reviews mean the world to us- Channy 4ever! :D

~Kaori & Mikki ~