Author's Note: Wow, I haven't written anything in ages it seems...I blame school and cross-country entirely. Well, I'm a bit rusty coming back, so I thought I'd start with something I know a thing or two about - SWAC.

Anyway, this story is a companion/sequel piece to one I wrote exactly one year ago, "This Ain't a Love Song." I felt like I should commemorate the one-year anniversary of Chad and Sonny's break-up. Yup. So, this is also the second story I've written that has been inspired by the song "You're Ex-Lover is Dead" by Stars. I highly suggest listening to it. :)

Disclaimer: I do not own SWAC.

Please enjoy. :)

Has it been a year already?

Hard to imagine time could ever fly like that.

She was tightly clasped within his fingertips last year, holding onto a fleeting dream of love that would never truly come to pass. He smiled sadly, and she shook her head as the barrier of familiar senses and emotions fell with each tear that ran down her cheek.

It had been a year since she returned their memories. It had been a year since he destroyed the one and only relationship that ever matter to him.

He had heard she had moved on to "bigger and better" things – or at least that's what she told Marshall she was doing when she announced her resignation from the cast of So Random!. Even Tawni couldn't keep herself entirely composed at her final, farewell show.

As Sonny beamed her bright, sunny personality upon the live audience, it was impossible not to notice the glinting tears reflecting in Miss. Hart's eyes. She was going to miss her – that much was absolutely certain.

Nico and Grady would miss her as well. It never felt right letting a cast member go, but when the time came, they had to put on their big boy pants and take the news like the men they were destined to be – eventually, in time.

For Zora, the news came as a disappointment. She has just gotten used to the idea of having someone to share her more girlish, but yet, childish tendencies with. Sonny might have gone and "Sonny-ed" her life up, but it was for the best.

And for Chad – the news struck him as everything else involving her struck like a sharp bullet to the heart. She was leaving because of him. He knew that much to be true. She couldn't bare – no, stand – being in the same studio as him, and so she was taking her leave of absence.

If he had mentioned it to her, she probably would have said it was "his studio" first, and therefore, she should be the one to leave. Always making the noble sacrifice, that was Sonny for you.

His lip turned up slightly as he thought back on the last time he had seen her. It was in August at some nameless studio stockholder's end of summer shindig. She had been invited because of her former affiliation with So Random!, and him because of MacKenzie Falls' failure.

Yes, Mack Falls was dead and gone. Dead and in the process of being replaced by some new, fresh, intriguing show, but that wasn't something Chad could stop or change. His passion as MacKenzie died with his relationship. Once MacKenzie plummeted his way over the falls and into the afterlife, so did the ratings.

But that didn't necessarily mean Chad Dylan Cooper's reputation as the greatest actor of his generation was dead – it simply needed to be revived.

The brunette stood quietly, taking in the scene in front of her as stockholder babbled into her ear about all the people here she should meet before the night is done. Although she wanted to interject the fact that she had once worked for Condor Studios and therefore knew everyone he spoke of, but she remained silent, surveying the crowd for one face in particular.

"And here's the golden boy I'd like you to meet!" The nameless studio stockholder began as he swung his arm around Chad's shoulders. "Chad Dylan Coo—"

Chad cut him off with a swipe of his hand and shake of his head. "No, we've met before."

Noticing the tension brewing in the air, the stockholder took a few steps backwards away from the situation before proceeding to all but sprint from the conversation that was no doubt about to take place.

She smiled softly, turning her head away from him. "Did you get my present? The one from last year, I mean." Her eyes continued to focus on something beyond him – far away in the distance.

"Yeah…" He barely mustered the word between his lips. "Yeah, thanks. It was just what I wanted." His words were solemn as he turned his head in the same direction as hers.

She looked back at the side of his head as she spoke quietly, "Well, it was nice to meet you, Chad Dylan." She held out her hand for a shake.

His gaze fell upon her face as he took up her hand and shook it gently.

"And you too – um –"

"Allison," she replied confidently. "Aly for short."

"Nice to meet you, Allison," he nodded his head towards her. "I hope we can be co-workers as well as friends."

A smile played upon her lips, but dissipated within a second or two. "I hope so too."

Chad's eyes glanced tenderly on the box of autographed self-portraits in the corner of his closet. Each of the smiles adorning his face in each of the multiple posed shoots was a reminder of why it had all crumbled.

Sonny was gone.

Chad Dylan Cooper remained.

Standing up from his bed, he grasped the small lighter off of his desk he kept in case he ever felt the need to burn candles or incense for comfort. His mother claimed scents were the key to opening up the soul.

Moving toward the box half-buried in his closet, he bit his lip. This was it. It had been a year, it was time to throw away the memories she had returned to sender by way of first class.

Taking the box out of his closet, he walked across the hallway into the bathroom.

Closing the door behind him, he turned the facet in the bathtub on, letting the water fill tub. He pulled one of photographs from the box and slid the image from the frame. Carefully, he held it up, so that he was able to light the corner. He held the blazing image until the fake smile upon his face had burned to ash, and with that he dropped the image into the water and continued with the other two photographs.

He had to physically halt himself when he came to her note. Rereading it to himself, he felt the familiar pang of guilt sear itself into his chest.

Without another thought, he lifted the lighter to note and set it ablaze along with his smoldering, ashy smiles.

The simplest explanation for the events that had occurred over the past year was this:

Sonny cried.

MacKenzie drowned.

Allison rose.

Chad burned.

Author's Note: I am out of practice. Oh well, I'll work on it...at least until next semester starts.

Happy Holidays! :)