Disclaimer: I own nothing :-/

One thing about Chad Dylan Cooper... he always had a way of showing up at the most inconvenient time.

It was 2 am. I was sitting in my dressing room watching some old romance movie and eating ice cream out of the carton when he walked in. He never knocks. He looked like he had just rolled out of bed, an unusual look for any of the Coopers. He, his sister, and both of his parents were big on personal appearance, no matter how early it was.

He sat next me and giggled a little.

"What?" I mumbled defensively through a sniffle.

"You're crying." he replied simply. Like it was the most obvious thing in the world but he didn't want to upset me by telling me that. He did that a lot.

"You enjoy it when I cry?" I jumped up, joking of course.

"Only when what You're crying at isn't real or sad." he looked up at me and smiled one of those breath-taking smiles that only Chad Dylan Cooper can pull off.

I returned to my spot on the couch and scooped some more ice-cream.

We watched the rest of the movie in silence.

When it was over, I had finished the whole half-gallon of ice-cream, and Chad was laughing so loud I could swear they could hear him in Wisconsin.

I laughed in return. I couldn't help it.

"what's so funny?" I said once the laughing calmed down.

"You're such a girl, Monroe." he shook his head at me, smiling a real smile. It was even more breath-taking.

"What's that supposed to mean?!"

"You cry at sappy movies while eating ice-cream out of the carton at two in the morning! So cliché."

"So! Why are you even here anyway...." I looked away. I knew why he was here. Same reason I wanted him to be here. But I didn't know if he understood it.

"Bored. Couldn't sleep. Figured you be here. Pick one." he shrugged. So he really didn't get it.

"I'm getting a little tired."

"I'm not surprised. All that crying must have been exhausting." he cracked a smile that I had never seen before. This was the real Chad. The one that was naturally funny, and smart. Who smiled because he was happy, not to get what he wanted. Who was sweet and thoughtful without even thinking. This was the Chad with whom I was in love.

When I looked up, he was looking at me. Not just waiting for me to say something, but staring. He looked at me like I was the most beautiful, amazing girl in the world. That is how I knew my feelings were returned.

"you could just say it, you know." I looked down at my hands.

"Say what?" could he really be that oblivious? Yes. Yes he could.

He was still looking at me that way. God he's stupid.

"Damn it Chad!" I got up. I couldn't take this anymore.

"Sonny, what?" I tried to turn around and grab my stuff, but as soon as Chad saw I was crying, he wrapped his arm around my waist and turned me back around.

"Sonny, calm down." he pulled me closer and laid my head on his chest.

"No!" I pushed away.

"Please don't go."

I shouldn't have looked at him, but I did. So I couldn't leave.

"Why? Why don't you want me to leave?" the words came out harsher than I had meant them, but I was glad they did.

"Because I don't want to be alone."

"No. Why do you want me here? What about me?" she saw what she was saying finally register on his face.

Hi whole composure softened. I have never seen Chad Dylan Cooper so vulnerable.

"Sonny..." pulled me closer with one hand and placed the other on my cheek, using his thumb to wipe a tear.

Suddenly my heart was beating ten times faster. He had to have been able to hear it. He started leaning closer and I thought she could hear his heart beat too. The closer he got the more scared I was.

I pulled back.

"I'm getting tired. I should go." I mumbled. I wasn't tired at all. In fact I had more energy than ever. Maybe I would just go outside and try to calm my heart.

"Yeah." he slowly let me go and I turned around, grabbed my stuff, and left.

It was pouring outside, but I didn't mind. It wasn't thundering or lightening.

As soon as I walked out, I was drenched. It was useless trying to run for cover, so I laid down in the middle of the parking lot, trying to figure out what just happened. He almost kissed me. Chad Dylan Cooper almost kissed me! Chad Dylan Cooper! Lucy would never believe this!

Suddenly I was laughing. Giggling and laughing and I couldn't stop.

I was so glad no one was there to see me like that. Lying in the middle of a parking lot at four in the morning in the pouring rain and laughing uncontrollably!

It was the most amazing, indescribable feeling.

He walked through the door and I started panicking.

"What are you doing?" he said laughing. He ran over and reached out his hands to pull me up.

I accepted his hands and answered his question.

"Just thinking." I mumbled, refusing to look into his eyes. I was afraid I'd never be able to look away.

"About what? How it is raining too hard for you to be lying out on the ground?"

"No. about you." I said it so nonchalantly I think I confused him.

"How do you do that?" he said louder than before.

"do what?" I still wouldn't look him in the eyes.

"Be so honest? I mean, isn't this the part where the girl lies about her true feelings and spends the rest of the season wondering what would've happened if she had told him the truth?"

I glanced at him quickly before responding.

"Life doesn't always work like your television show Chad."

"Yes it does Monroe! You keep saying that, but it's not true! Most girls would lie and say they had passed out or something. Most girls don't come right out and tell me how they feel! Hell most girls cant even talk to me! But you.... you are... I don't know what you are sonny. One day you hate me the next you love me, and you tell me anyway." he lifted my chin so I had to look him in the eyes. "You are not most girls. You are special."

"What are you say Chad?"

"Sonny, I'm saying I am madly in love with you, and you are driving me crazy! You don't make any sense! I just don't get it!"

"It's raining." I said. I was starting to get really nervous.

"Tell me something I don't know." he said softly, almost like he knew what I was going to say next.

"I love you too." I whispered, just loud enough for him to hear.

Then he pressed his cheek to mine, and wrapped his arms around my waist pulling me closer.

"I said something I don't know." he breathed out the words so sweetly that it took my breath away, even though I wasn't really sure he was even saying them.

"You first." I said louder. I tried to sound unaffected by his closeness, but my voice cracked anyway.

"I already did. So how about I do this instead?"

his lips crashed into mine before I had a chance to realize what was happening. The best part was I wasn't kissing Chad Dylan Cooper, I was kissing Chad. Just Chad.

We both pulled away reluctantly and and he leaned his forehead against mine. His smile was one I had never seen before. Not on him at least.

"God! You are so cliché!" I mumbled through my smile.

How'd you like it? Tell me!