C.A.N.D.Y.C.A.N.E.S

AN: MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL! ;D When my lovely friend Teddyluver asked me to take part in a little thing called Secret Santa, how could I begrudge her? So this is a little cliché Christmas fic that I've been writing over the last week or so for the lovely, sweet Worldofillumination, also known as Allisa! I hope you like it :D Sorry that it's REALLY long! Like 8,500 WORDS long xD But when I ramble, I ramble. I think you got the most ramble-y person in the whole Secret Santa! The prompts were: Christmas Trees, Stars and Candy Canes, guess which one I picked! :P

Chad Dylan Cooper hates Christmas. That's right. I hate Christmas. So what? Get over it. It's not like I hate rainbows and sunshine and puppies (that does not include slobbering ones because I do hate those).

So what's the big deal?

Why is every tabloid in America talking about it?

The lovely headlines that stick in my mind.

Chad Dylan Cooper: First Puppies. Now Christmas.

"I hate Christmas!" All the gossip behind the Drama King's latest controversial statement!

Chad Dylan Cooper hates Jesus.

Jesus?

I hate the idea of Christmas.

Of being with my (dramatic) family and being ungrateful about gifts.

It's commercialised.

And dumb.

That doesn't mean I hate the Lord!

"You hate Christmas Chad? Really?"

Great, that's all I need.

The little Jack Russell in human form that just loves to yap at me.

"I can tell you something I do hate..."

Her brow furrows and she pouts. "Snob."

I'm in no mood right now to rise to her bait.

I let out a long breath and grind my teeth. So now I hate Christmas. That's practically saying I hate little kids (which is true) and bunny rabbits (also true).

"No retaliation? Wow Cooper, I'll have to write this down in my diary!"

I roll my eyes and give her a cocky wink. "Like you don't write every encounter we have in your diary Sonny."

"For you information I don't!" she denies far too quickly.

My heart races at the thought.

Every girl that has ever lived really does want me!

At least that's something to cheer me up.

"Whatever stops the tears Munroe."

She scowls, slightly playfully and reaches behind her back.

"Any particular reason that you're wearing that ridiculous elf costume?"

She doesn't seem phased by this and produces a little candy cane before me. "Because I love Christmas." A smile graces her lips. "And I think you should too."

I look down at the little candy cane, red and white striped and admittedly looking quite tasty.

"This is for you." She thrusts the candy cane towards me and I stare at it dumbly. "Take it." She insists.

"I ... I don't like Christmas Sonny. Why on earth would I want a candy cane?"

Sonny just smiles. "Go on, try it."

"I don't want it." I say stubbornly.

"Please!"

"No."

"Please!"

"No."

"PLEEEEEEAAAASSSEEEE—"

Just to shut her up, I take the stupid thing. In the ribbon I can see gold writing: Christmas rules Cooper –Sonny.

"When I'm through with you Cooper, Christmas will be your favourite day of the year!"

All I want right now is ... something to occupy my mind.

This time last year, I was innocently eating a candy cane.

Unaware of the eventful year that was yet to come.

Now I've resulted to staring longingly at my TV and actually watching So Random. Just in a bid to see Sonny.

Pretty pathetic I know.

The thing is, I've never really liked a girl as much as I like her before.

It's kind of ... unnerving.

And I blew my chance like the Big Bad Wolf blew down those little pigs' houses. With a huff and a puff and a stupid ego problem.

I don't even know why I'm bothering.

I mean, watching Tawni and ... that blonde boy doing some kind of father/daughter sketch about ... eating road food...? Not exactly a barrel of laughs for me. Oh wow, now they've killed a Christmas turkey, that really does make it Christmas themed...

Imbeciles.

The show finishes and I'm slightly relieved.

I don't have to watch the rubbish anymore ...

And yet at the same time I feel slightly disappointed.

I don't get to watch Sonny anymore.

Christmas Eve and I'm sitting here alone like a loser in my own dressing room.

What is the world coming to?

"Knock knock."

Startled at the sudden intrusion of my thoughts, I look back to see none other than Sonny Munroe smiling nervously and closing my dressing room door slightly behind her.

I jump up as quick as I can. "Hey."

"Hi..." she greets awkwardly. "Watching So Random?"

She hasn't spoken to me in weeks and I grasp desperately at the slight chance I have of her coming here to beg me to take her back. I remain silent, embarrassed and terrified that I'll scare her off.

"I ... I wanted to say..."

I love you Chad. Take me back.

Go on. Say that. Say that. Say that.

"Merry Christmas." She smiles and produces another candy cane, this time complete with a little red ribbon. "Christmas is a time of forgiveness ... so ... here you go. Have a lovely day tomorrow."

She pops the candy cane onto my table next to the door and flees, zipping up her leather coat to her chin to save her from the cold.

I walk blindly to the side table and pick up the candy cane, unwrap it from the ribbon and put the candy cane neatly in my pocket.

I unfold the ribbon and read it: All is forgiven –Sonny.

Maybe Christmas isn't going to be so bad this year after all...

No way. This does not happen to Chad Dylan Cooper.

"No date Chad?"

If she wasn't a girl, I'd totally punch her in the face.

Ignore her Chad. Ignore her.

"Come on Chad, you're a little old to be ignoring me."

"I'm eighteen! That's young!" I protest vehemently.

Tawni laughs. "Are you too young to have a date too?"

"I did have a date actually, but she freaking cancelled on me!"

"Hey guys, what's up?" Sonny bursts in, glitter plastered all over her cheeks.

Great, that's just what I need.

"I'm just laughing because Chad doesn't have a date!"

Did I mention that I hate her?

Sonny gives a half-smile ... no it's worse than that, it's a sympathetic half-smile. "Um ... maybe you could ask one of your co-stars if they're free Chad...?" she suggests.

"Don't you think I've already tried that?" I snap.

Tawni sniggers and I see the corners of Sonny's lips start to curve into a bigger smile.

"I can't show up alone to my own Christmas party! How sad is that?"

"Pretty sad Pooper." Hat boy comments.

Where did he even come from?

"What are you losers all doing in my dressing room?"

"Tawni texted us." Chubby blonde boy tells me.

I scowl at her. "Who else did you text?"

"ME!"

Great, now I have to fumigate my vents.

"Look, I like to keep my vents nice and tidy, so if you wouldn't mind sticking to the door weird Vent girl, then I'd greatly appreciate it!"

Sonny clicks her tongue. "You know their names Chad. When we were going out you said them, so you can say them now." She taps her foot and reminds me greatly of my Mom.

"Fine, Tawni, Grady, Nico, Zoe ... please leave!"

"It's Zora!" They all yell in unison.

"Yeah ... whatever."

It's bad enough that I have no date.

Now I have to listen to these morons correcting me!

"We were going to help you Chad. But if ... if you don't want any help. We can just leave..." Sonny tries to look innocent as she looks away.

I can tell she'd help me anyway.

But I know I'll have to play her game.

"Fine, I'm sorry. Now what did you have in mind?"

Sonny grins. "We'll go in a group!"

I roll my eyes. "That's what losers do Sonny. Like those two." I point at Nico and Grady with a smug grin.

"Hey!" they yell back.

Sonny thumps me lightly. "Be quiet. It's not like you have much choice!"

Psh.

I hate being told what to do.

"Good! Now, we turn up together in your limo, all our arms linked and goofing about! And when the paparazzi ask where your date is, say that lots of girls asked you, but you just wanted to hang out with your best friends."

"Best friends is pushing it a bit far..."

Sonny scowls. "Fine, your friends."

I reluctantly nod. "And what's in it for you four?" I ask suspiciously.

"There's five of us!" Vent girl protests.

"Yeah, like Chad Dylan Cooper would take a ten year old to a Tween party! Good one Zoe."

"She's not ten!" Sonny defends vent girl. "And what's in it for us is, we get to ride in your limo and go to your party. It ... um ... might make us look a little cooler too."

I laugh loudly. "Oh of course it would."

I motion for the four to head towards the limo with a wave of my hand. Nico, Grady and Tawni race ahead, Sonny lingers beside me and pulls something from out her winter coat pocket.

It's a little candy cane with Nice Acting, Merry Christmas—Sonny in gold on a ribbon wrapped around it.

Of course we'd planned this whole thing two hours ago when my date did cancel on me.

I take it gratefully a give her a one armed squeeze. "Right back at ya." I tell her with a wink.

Daddy day care.

That's what my new nickname will be if anyone ever finds out about this!

"Uncle Chaddy!" One of them dives on me and I oof in pain.

Why did I ever agree to this?

"Isn't this fun Chad?" Sonny yells over the roaring of children, a mixing bowl in her hand as she mixes cake mixture with a wooden spoon.

"SONNY!" A few of them yell and pelt towards her, but she's laughing loudly and flicking cake mixture at them.

"Who wants to pull some crackers?" Sonny asks excitedly, putting down her cake mixture as her relatives all scream "MEEEE!"

Nineteen.

Nineteen years old and reduced to this.

Some little kid with a tiara on jumps on top of me and starts wrapping tinsel around my neck. I try to nicely remove her but she just giggles and keeps on going. "Sonny!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

"SONNY!" All of the kids yell back and I grumble and fall back into the plump cushions on Sonny's sofa.

Why, you may ask, am I currently being piled on by children?

It all started this morning...

"Merry Christmas Chad!" Sonny grinned, twirling her way into my dressing room.

"Good morning." I replied. Quite maturely I thought.

She'll be mine again in no time!

"Oh don't be so moody! It's Christmas!"

I rolled my eyes. "How could I forget with Captain Christmas reminding me every four minutes?"

Sonny giggled. "Captain Christmas, I like it! So what are you up to this fine December morning?"

I shrugged. "Well seeing as you nag me to death when I make these guys work Christmas Eve, I thought I'd let them finish today."

Sonny's eyes brightened. "Chad, I'm proud of you! So does that mean you're free tomorrow?"

"Um ... I guess." I said uncomfortably (Well I wasn't uncomfortable at the time, but I would have been if I'd have known what was to come!). I should have said: it's Christmas Eve tomorrow, I have things to do. But nooooooooooo.

"Great! Can I borrow your private jet?" Sonny asked quickly.

"What? No way!"

Sonny pouted. "But Chad! You were gonna let me borrow it two years ago!"

"That was two years ago. When we were dating!" I reminded her. "So unless you feel like hooking up again ... NO!"

"Chad you are disgusting! Do you really think I'd hook up with you for a plane ride?" I remained quiet, trying to hide a smirk. "Look, my Aunt Helena needs a babysitter and I promised I'd help! I've just been so busy I forgot to book a flight and even being Sonny Munroe—"

I sniggered.

"—I still couldn't get a flight! So you're my only hope! PLEEEASSSEEE, it is Christmas!"

And that's why I'm now sitting in a dingy house in Wisconsin, getting paper airplanes thrown at my head!

"Kid, you better stop that!"

And so it goes on for hours and hours and hours.

And eventually I lock myself in the bathroom to keep away from the annoying things.

"Chad, are you okay? You've been in there an awful long time!" Sonny asks, concerned.

Great, now it looks like I have a diarrhoea problem!

"I'm just looking at myself in the mirror." I say as quickly as I can think of it.

"Well come out! You said you'd help me and it's dinner time! I need you to help me serve the food to the kiddies!"

"Not on your life." I mutter.

"Come on Chad!" She must've heard me. Damn. "It'll give you good experience for when you have kids."

PSH!

It's given me good experience so I know not to have kids!

"Please." She begs quietly.

And I sigh as I open up the bathroom door to see her standing there with a small smile.

"This is for you. Merry Christmas Chad." And she hands me a slightly bigger candy cane with another ribbon wrapped neatly around it.

Don't Lie, You Love Christmas –Your Friend Sonny.

So we're friends now?

And just as I'm about to ask her she scurries off back to the kitchen shouting a swift "Come along Chad!" like she's my wife or something.

I follow her like a dutiful, under the thumb, husband would.

Yours are the sweetest eyes ... I've ever seen.

I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind.

That I put down in words.

How wonderful life is, now you're in the world.

No, better not write that down. It's a bit too widely known.

Why are vows so freaking hard to write?

I love you.

Won't that do?

But no, she has to make a totally big deal out of it.

It's not like I even want to get married right now! I'm twenty years old for God's sake! But my parents think it will highly boost my career. And a Christmas wedding will get lots of publicity for me.

I know that Mackenzie Falls' ratings have been dropping like bricks off a roof. And the whole engagement thing to her really has boosted rating back to what they used to be.

But I'm not really sure if she's the one yet...

I mean, I've only really known her since New Year.

She's nice.

She's pretty.

So yeah, Amanda's pretty much got it all.

Well except for her last name being Shortman.

But I guess that will be changing soon enough anyway.

"Hey Mr Dylan Shortman."

I frown in confusion at the sudden intrusion. (That totally rhymed.)

"Sonny ... how did you get into my house?" I stand up from my desk and screw the Your Song lyrics into a paper ball and chuck it in the nearby trash can.

"Amanda gave me her key. She said ... and I quote 'Make sure he's not copying lyrics from well known songs Sonny, I will not be embarrassed at my own wedding!' ... so here I am!"

I haven't seen her in a few weeks and when I usually do see her nowadays it's on magazine covers or when she's hanging out with Amanda.

"First of all ... it's the female that changes her name! So I think I'll stick with Dylan Cooper."

"Sexist!" Sonny teases, making herself at home by taking off her coat and chucking it on my white leather couch.

"Secondly, my couch is expensive and you know it is so be careful. And thirdly, why would you want to help me? We haven't spoken since last October."

Sonny shrugs slightly. "We spoke a little in November."

"No. I spoke to you. And you ignored me."

"I was busy!" Sonny protests. "And besides ... it's not like you cared! With you and Amanda being all loved up and you ignoring my calls for weeks."

"I was a little busy announcing my engagement Sonny! The whole world doesn't revolve around you."

Sonny clicks her tongue. "Do you need my help or not?"

"Not." I bite quickly.

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Good!"

"GOOD!"

Sonny sighs dejectedly, grabs her purple coat from my couch (did I mention it's an awesome couch?) and bites her lip. "I guess I'll be going then." She drops Amanda's key on the table and reaches for the door handle.

"Wait!" I mutter. "I do need your help."

She doesn't turn around to stay. But she doesn't leave either.

"Please. I'm sorry."

Recomposing herself, she turns around and grabs the piece of paper I'd chucked in the bin on her arrival and reads it. "A little Elton John don't you think?" she asks hoarsely.

"I ... I can't think of anything to write at all. I'm ... not good at that kind of thing."

Sonny softens and more confidently takes off her coat and sits down in my desk chair and spins slightly in it. "Right! Well I'm here to help. You just have to write down how she makes you feel. And maybe you could use a little Elton in it too ... without making it too obvious."

I smile at her. She's just brilliant. "Okay... how do we start?"

"Well, maybe something about the first day you met her. How your whole life has never been the same or ... how she makes you a better person ... or you could write about why you want to spend the rest of your life with her."

Is it bad of me to not be thinking about Amanda when she says those things?

"Okay ... so ... before I met you ... I mean Ama—"

Sonny laughs. "I know who you mean Chad! Just say it how you're going to say it on Christmas day! I know you mean Amanda."

"Fine, so before I met you, my life was ... kind of dull. No one was interesting to me. Girls were just ... dates and my life, in retrospect, had no purpose."

Sonny smiles sweetly and writes my words down. Her smile inspires me ever more and I waffle on for nearly more than a page until she stops me.

"Okay that should be enough. Amanda's wrote less than you!" She laughs and puts down the vows on my desk. "I better go, Brett's taking me to dinner."

"Uh ... who's Brett?"

Sonny smiles secretively. "He's a guy. Called Brett."

"Well I know tha—"

"Goodbye Chad!" And she grabs her coat, adjusts her beret and rushes out of my door.

I shake my head at her, she's an enigma indeed.

I proudly go to take a look at my vows and see a little red striped candy cane placed on the top of it. Once again there was a ribbon and I picked it up to read the message.

Your Happiness Makes Me Happy – Sonny.

The thing that unnerves me most is that I was more happy than I had been in two months, just being stupid and goofy with her.

Can I please take back this last year God?

That's all I ask.

Honestly.

I want nothing else for Christmas.

The thought makes me laugh slightly. As there is definitely something else I want.

But she unfortunately told me to 'Get a grip and go back to your wife!'

I would if I could.

Married. Divorced. And rejected by the love of your life. And your hit Tween show finishing after seven years of hard work. (At least So Random bowed out too I guess...).

All in one year.

You'd think Sonny would take my side, seeing as we've known each other since we were sixteen, dated for a few months and have worked together on several occasions.

But no, she took my wife's side.

So here I lie, on a desolate beach.

Where no one can find me.

In the sharp cold weather.

Where I can wallow in my own self-pity.

"Did you really think people wouldn't notice you'd gone missing?" Sonny's voice interrupts my thoughts and I jump up from my deck chair. "Really Chad? Really?" I can tell she's teasing but I can't help feeling furious.

"How did you know I was here?" I demand fiercely. "Have you got one of those microchip things where you can track me?"

Sonny rolls her eyes and sits down next to my deck chair in the sand.

I grumble and sit back down in the deck chair. "How did you know?" I ask more calmly.

"We used to come here when we were kids. Granted it was in summer ... but when your parents and agent started worrying, I knew someone had to come and find you. You're a bit of a drama queen, do you know that?"

"I know." I smile wryly.

"And you're an idiot too." Sonny adds for good measure.

"An idiot for ever listening to my parents in the first place. It was too soon."

Sonny nods and runs a hand through the sand. "It was." She agrees. "It's freezing here."

I feel a bit bad that I'm the reason for her being cold, so I shrug off my coat. "Here."

She smiles softly and takes it. "Can we go home please?"

I nod reluctantly. "If, you give me my candy cane."

"Are you telling me you like Christmas now Cooper?" Sonny asks teasingly, pushing herself up with her hands in the sand.

"I'm telling you I like candy canes Munroe. Now hand it over."

I resist the (stupid, annoying) urge to kiss her and smile playfully.

She reaches into her purse and sure enough, a little candy cane is pulled out.

Christmas Means Joy, So Smile! –Sonny

"Sonny?"

"Yeah?"

"You don't give Brett candy canes, do you?" I ask quietly.

"No ... just you."

Ahhh! I'm such a freaking stalker!

But at least my stalking means I now know that I'm soooo much better than this Brett moron.

Okay, so he's a little good looking.

Pretty sweet.

And quite funny.

But I'm all of those things and more!

So I should tell her.

Sonny, I love you. Pick me. Pick me!

Sure, I can say that.

I lift up my hand to knock on her door when the door swings open before me.

"Chad!" Sonny's eyes widen in surprise and she smiles. "I thought you were on location in New York."

"I was. But it's Christmas..." I give a little shrug.

Sonny frowns, a small smirk coming on her face. "I thought you didn't care about Christmas..."

"Well, that's before I met you." I say rather quickly. I say quickly, I mean so fast that I can barely understand myself!

Dude, chill out!

She's going to think you're not cool anymore!

I haven't seen her in ... well I haven't seen her in about 2 hours. She hasn't seen me in about two weeks.

I look up to catch her blushing slightly.

Yep, still got it.

"Well I'm glad you've realised the importance of Christmas Chad." She gives a little smile and adjusts her purple handbag on her arm. "But seeing as it's Christmas, I kinda have some Christmas shopping to do..."

"Why don't you just ask your assistant to do it?" I ask, a little put out.

She'd choose shopping over me?

Ouch.

Would it be cheesy to quote Mariah to her right now?

I don't want a lot for Christmas. There is just one thing I need. I don't care about the presents underneath the Christmas tree. I just want you for my own. More than you could ever know. What more can I do? Baby, all I want for Christmas is youuuuuu!

You, Sonny Munroe.

Beautiful you.

Ha.

I could just imagine her reaction. Uhm ... that's sweet Chad. But I'm with Brett...

Right, I need to do a bigger gesture.

"Sonny ... would you like to go shopping together? I mean, I have to get some presents too."

Sonny purses her lips, looking a little surprised. "You buy presents now?"

"I do if you do." I try to say smoothly.

She looks at me a little strangely and shakes her head. "Right, come on then."

We go shopping for a few hours. And I realise how I actually forgot how lovely she is.

I mean, I know she's lovely.

But she's just ... perfect.

How could I forget that?

After she's brought like ... a gazillion presents, we go and sit in one of my favourite cafes. And luckily the waitress offers to caution off the place so people can't keep bugging us if we give her autographs. (Well bugging me, Sonny finds them endearing).

"Seen much of Tawni lately?" I ask, trying desperately to break a little silence we have.

Being so nervous is making me ask stupid questions.

Sonny takes a sip of her latte and gets a little foam moustache. "Not since her premiere last week. She's busy with Chris at the minute. Have you seen any of your cast?"

I shake my head. "Nope, I only really keep in touch with you from those days. Well, except my director and I sometimes see a few of the girls at premieres and stuff."

Sonny nods, wiping her mouth with a serviette. "You should call them sometime."

"I should." I agree.

I'm not going to though.

Her phone starts vibrating and she frantically rifles through her bag, looking for it. "Hello?"

"Who is it?" I mouth.

"You know better than to listen to what they're saying. We were just Christmas shopping!" Sonny protests.

I'm guessing it's Brett then.

"You can come hang with us if you want." Sonny offers. "Yes, I know you're at work, but can't you take an hour off?"

My stomach drops like I've swallowed a brick.

Now I'm going to have to play the gooseberry for an hour!

So Brett shows up, grinning charmingly and making out with Sonny right in front of me.

Unfortunately I realise that if he wasn't dating Sonny, he'd probably be my friend by now. He's funny, cool and very ... manly. He has a sweet car, likes football and has some pretty cool shades.

"Isn't he perfect?" Sonny asks as she leads me back into her apartment.

The marvellous Brett had just left us, apparently happy that there was nothing between me and Sonny.

Is that guy blind?

Or he thinks there is but I'm not a threat.

I repeat: Is that guy blind?

So after they had a goodbye kiss (lasting about twenty minutes I think) he shook my hand and went back to work.

The crappy thing is, he is kinda perfect.

"Is he perfect for you?" I ask desperately.

Say no.

Say no.

Please say no.

Sonny wrinkles her brow. "Why?"

I drop some of her bags on her dining room table and with a surge of courage go straight over to her and spin her around by the hand.

"He's not right for you."

Sonny's eyes widen and she tries to pull away from me. I don't let her. "Who are you to say that? You've only known him for an hour!"

"Because y-you don't even ... fight with him!"

Sonny clicks her tongue. "That's a good thing Chad!"

"Well where's the passion?" I snap.

"We have passion!" Sonny protests.

"Like our passion? Don't even pretend you love him like you love me."

Sonny yanks her hand away and drops all her bags on the table. "Why on earth would you think I love you? When have I ever said that I love you? You're so pig-headed!"

"At least I'm not oblivious."

"At least I'm not spoilt!" Hey! I am not spoilt.

"At least I'm not stupid!"

"Don't you dare call me stupid! If it wasn't for you, we'd never have broken up in the first place!" Sonny screams loudly.

"It's not my fault you were too stubborn to forgive me! It was an award Sonny! I messed up, so what? You—"

"So what? It means you're selfish Chad. Selfish like you always are!"

"I'm selfish for loving you?"

"YES! You know I'm happy with Brett but you'd rather make me ... how am I ever ... stop it! I gave up on us when you married another girl!" Her eyes are all puffy and red but I can't stop myself.

"Do you think I wanted to marry her? I wanted you."

Sonny sniffs. "Well it's too late now. I'm with Brett." She says slightly more steadily. "You had your chance, you blew it."

"We were kids!" I protest fiercely.

"And you are still a kid. Don't pretend you'd want me if I wasn't with Brett. You just want something you can't have." She spits out, folding her arms across her chest.

"I can't have you." I shake my head in disbelief. "You're saying that if I kissed you right now, you'd push me away?"

Sonny drops down on her dining table chair and buries her face in her hands. "Just leave me alone Chad. I'd rather have not known. You've just ruined everything." She sobs a little into her hands and I sigh.

"I'm sorry Sonny. I ... I just love you. I had to tell you."

There's my white flag. I surrender.

I button up my coat and go for the door when she quietly murmurs "I love you too,".

She loves me too?

Did I actually hear that?

Why am I still standing here?

Sonny's approaching me slowly, biting her lip and tilting her head sideways. "Yes, you heard me right. I love you. But if this is going to work this time Chad ... we need to ... we need to be mature. You need to act your age. You need—"

"Anything." I promise solemnly.

"Anything?" Sonny asks, a smile appearing on her face finally.

"Anything." I agree again.

Sonny opens her arms and jumps into mine. "I love you, you big idiot."

"I love you more." I say stupidly.

What is wrong with me?

Sonny untangles herself from me and I worry that that comment was so stupid she's decided to dump me already.

She races to her bedroom and I cautiously follow her, waiting for her to come out.

I hope she's not jumping out of the window...

She returns a few seconds later with a candy cane and a felt tip pen. I sigh in relief as I realise she's just writing me my latest Christmas message.

All My Life I've Been Waiting For That! –Sonny

And with that I laugh and pull her into my arms once more and kiss her under the mistletoe.

Note to self: Try and buy your girlfriend of one year something before Christmas Eve.

It's just so darn hard!

Do I get her flowers?

A car?

A dog?

Jewellery?

A photo frame of us?

Perfume?

A holiday?

I'm usually so good with presents!

And even when you try and ask her to hint for you, she's all coy and says 'I have everything I want right now, you don't have to get me anything'. It's just unhelpful!

WOMEN!

I bet she'd be pretty chuffed if I got her nothing for Christmas!

I let my head fall into my hands and let out a strangled scream ... I mean ... groan.

Yep, it was definitely a groan.

"Having trouble there Pooper?"

Ah, a familiar voice.

If the familiar voice isn't Sonny or my sister, I tend to hate those.

Pushing myself up from the restaurant table my eyes widen to see Nico Harris smiling down at me. "Hello Cooper."

"What's up Nico?"I try to be polite.

Sonny's warned me about that. 'Be polite to my friends or else Chad!'.

Nico seems satisfied with my 'polite' answer and suddenly the seat before me is no longer vacated. "What you getting the Missus for Christmas?" he asks teasingly.

"No idea. Women are awkward."

Nico chuckles. "Don't I know it. If you think Sonny's hard, you should try buying for a model."

"You are dating a model?" I ask incredulously.

Damn, my politeness just went out the window!

He doesn't seem to mind. "Her name's Jasmine. She's just ... beautiful. You jealous Pooper?"

Not jealous, just wondering what's wrong with the world. "Give me Sonny over a model any day."

"That's what I like to hear." He smiles. "So I'm taking Jasmine home to London for Christmas. Well, if the snow clears up there in time. If not, I'm still the perfect boyfriend for the gesture and I get to see my family on Christmas day. If the snow does clear up, I get to spend Christmas in England and see my folks on the 27th December."

"Well I don't care about my folks. So I'd happily spend Christmas with her family." I note absently. "Hey! You've just gave me an idea for Christmas! I can fly her and Connie out ... on my private jet and go visit her family in Wisconsin. She'd love that wouldn't she?"

Nico sips his drink nonchalantly. "I'm surprised you didn't think of that before."

"Thanks Nico." I shake his hand, like a normal *shivers* person would and rush out of the cafe to arrange it all.

Sonny is waiting for me when I get home and she looks a little exhausted on the sofa. She's usually grinning from ear to ear in excitement.

"Are you okay Sonny?" I ask quickly, dropping down a few bags of stuff I picked up for Connie and going to sit next to her. "What's up?"

"I'm sick." She complains, like it's the most awful thing in the world. "It's horrible."

Even though I can't stand the thought of germs being anywhere near me. I try and force that thought to the back of my mind and pull her close to my chest. "Do you need anything?" I murmur softly to her.

I can feel her smile as she nods her head. "I was going to wait till tomorrow to give you your present ... but I'm too excited!"

She's sick and excited? Weird.

"What is it?" I ask, pulling back and smoothing her hair away from her sweaty forehead.

Sonny smiles weakly and reaches into the back pocket of her jeans. "Here." She says.

I know that it's going to be a little candy cane before I even see it. But I smile regardless and take it from her with a kiss to her forehead. "Thank you Sonny." I place it down on our coffee table and pull her into a little hug.

"Read the ribbon!" Sonny insists quickly.

I frown at her enthusiasm and pick the candy cane back up.

Next Year, We'll Be Parents – Your Sonny

My jaw drops. Literally drops.

"What?" I yell like an idiot.

Sonny also looks shocked and flinches at my voice. "I thought you'd be pleased." She whispers, crestfallen to say the least.

I'm TWENTY-THREE!

The best looking guy ... on the planet.

With a great future ahead of him.

With a trophy girlfriend.

And nothing to tie him down.

"Are you nuts? I'm in my prime! I don't want kids until I'm in my very late thirties!"

She cringes and then ... starts to cry.

Oh. My. Chad.

She's crying.

"Sonny, don't cry—"

But she stops crying and instead ... she throws up... All over my Italian shoes.

"Sorry." She splutters and I roll my eyes as I rub her back so she can throw up some more. Gross.

After a good half hour of her throwing up, she finally stops and sits against the bathroom wall with sad eyes.

"Morning sickness." She explains sadly.

"It's afternoon!" I protest but she shrugs.

I sit myself down next to her and put an arm around her. "I'm sorry I overreacted, I'm still kind of a kid myself."

"I know." She agrees.

"You really think we can do this?"

"Yes." She answers me immediately.

And I believe her.

Ever think Christmas was stressful for you?

Try having baby twins, whose mother is obsessed with giving them the Perfect Christmas.

That includes me dressing up as Santa Claus, rushing around Hollywood after working 9 till 5 (what a way to make a living) and buying food for all the people who will be coming to our house on Christmas day.

And I was also going to try to propose!

That's if I can even find the time.

You see, I was going to do it after she told me she was pregnant. But I realised she wouldn't want to get married all fat ... I mean ... pregnant. And I didn't really want to rush into another marriage. Plus, she'd think I was only proposing because of her being pregnant. And so on and so on.

Great, paparazzi that's all I need. I've got about ten boxes piled up in my hands so my chin's resting on the top so it's not the perfect opportunity for me to look like the dashing new Dad.

"Chad! Chad! What's it like being a Dad?"

It's like having five full time jobs pal! Then a nagging wife on the top.

I've learnt not to exactly be honest with photographers.

It's gotten me in trouble with Sonny hundreds of times.

I ignore him for now and plod back onto my car and try as best as I can to get out of the car park without being mauled. Since Sonny had the twins, I'm sure people think I keep them in the back of my car all day.

Luckily for me it's a short ride back home and as I pull up on the drive, my front door swings open and Sonny runs down the drive in her dressing gown to help me.

"Get inside!" I call out to her, shutting my car door as she races to my boot to get some presents out.

"My Mom's inside!" Sonny tells me quickly, gathering up some presents and running across the drive in her slippers. "She's looking after the babies!"

She's completely nuts.

I salvage what's left in the car boot, shut the boot, lock my Honey (Sonny tells me off if I call the car Baby because she thinks it's offensive to our actual babies) and jog inside our house.

"Chad!" Connie Munroe grins as she scurries towards me, takes some of the presents out of my hands and runs back into our living room. "It's good to see you!" she says over her shoulder.

"You too Miss Munroe." I follow Sonny's Mother through to the living room where Sonny is sprawled out on the carpet, sellotape in teeth, wrapping paper in hand and furiously trying to wrap a present.

"Chad!" she complains. "I was wrapping your last present." She pouts.

"But you just ran out to my car!" I protest. "How can you be wrapping now?"

Connie laughs. "Oh the joys of Christmas."

I reach into my coat pocket, feeling the shape of the ring box. Was now the time?

Sonny chuckles good naturedly and I lean over and kiss the babies in turn.

"How have they been?" I ask Sonny, giving her a kiss too.

"Max has been crying a little bit. I think he missed you."

I know that it probably had nothing to do with that and Sonny's trying to make me feel good but I pick my little son up anyway and cradle him against me.

"Did you miss your Daddy?" I ask, the soppy git I am.

Max gurgles a little bit, blinking up at me. His little eyelashes fascinate me the most, they're so blonde and delicate.

A flash startles both me and Max and I look up to see a grinning Sonny, standing there with the new pink camera I brought her for Christmas.

"SONNY! That was for Christmas!" She has NO patience!

"Shh! You'll scare Alli!" She picks up Alli, who's wearing a little Christmas ribbon around her head.

"Stop using your daughter as a shield Sonny!" Connie comes in the room, hands on hips.

I laugh, at least Sonny's Mom's on my side. "Did you open all the presents I got you?" I ask.

Sonny looks away guiltily.

I groan as I place Max down in his little swinging cot. "Well, at least I've got one surprise left up my sleeve." I mutter.

"You have?" Sonny's eyes light up and she places Alli down next to her brother.

She starts to approach me and I chuckle and retreat. "Until tomorrow my dear."

Sonny grumbles and grabs a massive candy cane from off our mantel piece. "Merry Christmas Chad."

Ever Wonder Why We Put Up With Your Snoring?–Sonny, Max and Alli.

I laugh and Sonny grins. "Because we love you."

"I love you all too." I say softly.

When she'd first told me we were having twins, I nearly had a meltdown. One baby was bad enough, but two?

Now I wouldn't change the last year for anything.

Christmas Eve went by pretty fast; it basically consisted of me, Sonny, Connie and the twins watching Shrek and Toy Story 2. Sonny constantly took pictures with her new camera so the twins could remember everything that happened on their first Christmas Eve. Then we all went to bed really early.

"WAKE UP CHAD! IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

That's my second Christmas I've been woken up by that.

I then hear another distant "OH MY GOD! IT'S CHRISTMAS! WOO!"

Yep, that'll be her mother.

"Sonny." I groan and the twins have woken up and started crying.

"Sorry babies!" She jumps up, throws off the bed covers and runs over to the kids.

I open my eyes to see the two babies being rocked by a pyjama-clad Sonny.

Connie races in and I cover myself with a blanket. "Boundaries!" I remind her.

"But it's CHRISTMAS!"

And now she's jumping on my bed.

This is what you get when you spend Christmas with the two happiest people on earth.

"MERRY CHRISTMAS MOM!" Sonny yells and the kids start crying louder.

I roll my eyes, carefully trying to get out of bed without getting jumped on and take Alli out of one of her arms. "Come on little girl, let's go see what Santa brought you."

After 'Max' and 'Alli' opened their presents, or rather, we opened them by using their hands. Connie rushes over to hers and started unwrapping like mad.

I grin and sit down cross legged next to my pouting girlfriend. "Upset you opened all your presents now?"

Sonny nods sadly. "Now I have nothing to open."

"Did you open all your presents from the fans too?"

Sonny nods again. I click my tongue. "I'm sorry!"

"I have something you could possibly open." I offer helpfully.

Her eyes open in excitement and I push myself up off the carpet and go find my coat. I pull the ring box out of the coat pocket, which thankfully the woman in the store gift wrapped for me and with a deep breath I take it with me into the living room.

"A present!" Sonny races at me, then realises what she's doing and slows down. "I mean ... is that for me?"

I chuckle, pull her close and give her a lingering kiss. "I love you."

She grins and takes the present from my nearly-shaking hands. She doesn't seem to notice and rips off the wrapping paper so quick that if I wasn't watching carefully I'd have missed her take it off. She looks down excitedly at the box and after fumbling slightly she opens the box and gasps at the little rings. "Chad, it's beautiful..."

I swallow as I bend down onto one knee.

"Chad... what are you doing?" She asks, her eyes wide.

Connie gasps loudly and picks up the twins so she has one in each arm. "Look what your Daddy is doing!"

"Sonny, without you, there's no way I could have ever done this." I sound like such an idiot. Just be cool. I try desperately to remember that scene I did in Mackenzie Falls where I proposed. "Uhm ... I love you. So ... will you marry me?"

Instead of answering me, which would be pretty useful right now, she reaches for the mantel piece and picks up the candy cane I left there last night. She hands it back to me again and I look at it stupidly.

Ever Wonder Why We Put Up With Your Snoring – Sonny, Max and Alli.

"Sonny, I've already read this..."

"We love you, of course I'll marry you, you idiot!"

[10 years later]

Sonny Munroe. The girl that changed my life. I daresay, if it hadn't been for her, I'd be alone right now, or maybe in an unhappy relationship.

"WAKE UP IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

I have four guesses as to who that is; 1) My crazy wife. 2)Her crazy Mother, 3)My crazy daughter, 4)My crazy son.

There's no point even guessing as I know soon enough all four of them will be jumping on my bed.

"Daaaaaad!"

Well that narrows it down to option 3 or 4!

Opening my eyes I see that both Max and Alli are watching me with excited eyes.

"Where's your Mom?" I ask them both.

"Downstairs!" Max tells me quickly. "Now wake up! Mom and Grandma say we can't open the presents till you're there Dad!"

"Yeah wake up!" Alli agrees.

Max is the bossy one, Alli's his little shadow.

"Fine, I'm getting up." I grumble, pull on my dressing gown and groggily follow them downstairs.

Sonny looks relatively calm for Christmas morning and is sipping some hot chocolate on the carpet with Connie. "Morning sweetie." She smiles lightly when she sees me.

That's strange...

It's Christmas and she's acting like me.

Hmmm.

"DAD! Can we start opening them now?" Max practically yells at me.

"Calm down." I tell him sternly. Seriously, he does a few commercials and he thinks he owns the place!

"Can we Daddy?" Alli asks me, pouting slightly.

"Yes, just go slowly, you don't want them all to go in three minutes like last year, do you?"

Alli shakes her head innocently and climbs over some presents to get to her pile.

Sonny picks up our newest son from his cot (he's only one and a bit) and cradles him softly. She's left her camera on the side and I pick it up for her and take a few pictures of Max and Alli opening their presents.

Max runs to his computer to update his status on his blog thing and I have to race him to stop him. He's such a mini-me.

Alli's trying to paint her nails with her new set and Connie's trying (and failing) to play with Max's train set.

Once I've got Max under control and have successfully pointed him towards some of his new presents, he seems to like the cardboard cut out of himself the most, I sit down next to my wife and our youngest son. "Hey." I greet, kissing her temple.

She seems deep in thought and slowly looks up at me. "I got a job."

We usually take it in turns to shoot movies so that the kids have at least one parent around and I smile. "That's good, it's not your turn though."

"I know. It's not an acting job though."

I frown in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Sonny sighs, reaches up and places Milo in his cot. "You know that I love acting. But singing ... it's my passion. I just haven't had time to do it with the kids and things. This guy, Hugh Netman, he said he can help me create a new album."

I remain neutral. "Are you going to take it?"

"Well ... I want to. If I didn't have you, Max, Alli and Milo, I definitely would. But ... an album probably means a tour."

"Which means I'll have to give up acting for quite a while." I realise with a nod.

"I know. And it means I'd be away from you all. The kids need to stay in school and I can't really bring them with me as roadies."

I pull her close to me and give her a one-armed hug. "If it's what you really want, we can make it work."

Sonny pulls back from me, her eyes wide. "Are you serious?"

"Yeah and if I need to go to a premiere or something, I could always take the kids with me, leave them with your Mother or hire a Nanny for an hour."

Sonny grins from ear to ear and launches herself at me. "You are the best husband on this planet!"

"I know." I agree teasingly.

The kids see us hugging and find it amusing to charge at us too so we're in a kind of family hug.

Sonny laughs loudly and falls backwards so she's lying on her back with Max and Alli snuggled on top of her. I reach for Milo out of his cot and carefully fall back on Sonny so that Milo is on top of me, trying to crawl onto Sonny too.

Sonny, with much difficulty, reaches into her dressing gown pocket and hands me a candy cane.

Santa Gave You To Me, All Hail Santa – Love, Wifey

I chuckle and ruffle the hair of Max and Alli, then of my wife's.

A little click makes us all turn our attention to Connie Munroe, who's standing with Sonny's camera with a satisfied smirk on her face.

She sits down next to us on the carpet and shows us all the picture.

Sonny smiles. "We should print that out."

I catch the crawling Milo and agree with my wife. "We should."

"I want a copy too." Connie grins.

"Chrisma!" Milo babbles.

I take the picture out of Connie's hands and nod. "We should put it on the mantelpiece."

That picture would remain on the mantelpiece for the next sixty nine years.

Christmas rules Cooper

All is forgiven

Nice Acting, Merry Christmas

Don't Lie, You Love Christmas

Your Happiness Makes Me Happy.

Christmas Means Joy, So Smile!

All My Life I've Been Waiting For That

Next Year, We'll Be Parents

Ever Wonder Why We Put Up With Your Snoring?

Santa Gave You To Me, All Hail Santa

CANDYCANES.

The End.

AN: Ahhh, too much fluff! This is seriously took me AGES! xD I know SWAC isn't as popular as it used to be, so the Fanfic isn't either and I've pretty much stopped watching SWAC as the character Sonny, a Wisconsin comedian, doesn't really exist, rather a Demi-clone who sings, acts and is pretty much a cow. I have to agree with my lovely friend Danci that when I write for SWAC now, I feel like I'm writing OOC because of how much they've changed the character. So I'm probably going to be going onto something new now, like Harry Potter, I love Rose/Scorpius, Ron/Hermione and James/Lily or maybe even Vampire Diaries, I love Damon/Elena, I suppose I could stay with Disney as I think Good Luck Charlie is pretty awesome (: But this is my 28th SWAC story so I think that's enough! :P So this is probably the last one I shall do. But never mind that, Merry Christmas Allisa! I hope you had a fantastic Christmas :D And I hope I didn't disappoint!

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