ABC FamilyCalling all April (Italia Ricci) and Dominic (Richard Brancatisano) fans...don't give up hope on this seemingly-kaput couple just yet!
Although Chasing Life season one ended with April saying yes to Leo's (Scott Michael Foster) proposal, season two—premiering tonight after the longest hiatus ever!—is going to give us all hope that the original 'ship isn't totally, completely in the past despite her engagement to someone else. In fact, some fists may even be thrown when it comes to winning April's heart!
"April's engagement really lights a fire under Dominic," Chasing Life executive producer Patrick Sean Smith tells E! News. "Things start to feel really real for him in the same way they are for April. This is pushing both characters into action. That's going to play a big part in this season. How we're handling the love triangle will feel certainly different from last season, definitely. Much more tumultuous, much more volatile through much of the season. I'm excited for the fans to see that."
But Smith isn't just talking about rekindling romantic feelings for these two.
"We also give April and Dominic time to just be friends again," he says. "There was so much animosity between the two of them in the second half of the first season so that's a huge catalyst to get him going and questioning, is he going to be the guy that stops the wedding? I can say by the end of season two, we will dissolve the triangle and one couple will remain."
And what about Dom's current flame, April's newly-discovered half-sister Natalie (Jessica Meraz)? Well, seeing as how their relationship was mostly born because of its forbidden nature, it's not all that surprising to find out things aren't looking good for its future.
"It becomes apparent to Natalie where Dom's heart lies," Smith says. "That creates a lot of conflict in their relationship for sure."
As much as we were jumping for joy when April said yes to Leo's proposal in the season one finale, it turns out that April's family and friends are going to have mixed reactions to their surprise and quick engagement.
"Everyone's individual reactions will be interesting," Smith says with a laugh. "Emma's [Rebecca Schull] is hilarious, of course. But it's something that, in the first episode, is particularly surprising to Sara [Mary Page Keller]. That makes for the most emotional moments in the premiere. Those scenes turned out really well."
Smith explains that because "April is making this choice out of her cancer relapse," it's going to be hard for everyone to accept the engagement at face value.
"It's exciting to see April push herself to these new places but she's doing it from a place that could be pretty dark," Smith says. "That's what we're balancing this season, the light and the dark. She's embracing this new perspective on her life but at the same time, she's dealing with her health throughout much of the season."
That's because April's chemotherapy won't work the second time around, leading April to have to make some pretty tough choices about her health. AKA get the Kleenex ready.
"Leo is going to be the one to help her look at things differently and try to make a positive out of the negative for herself," Smith says. "But at the same time, she will have to explore clinical trials and the ups and downs of that. While she's entering this new, undiscovered country for herself personally, she's also having to do it medically with these different clinical trials."
And that's where the darker moments of season two are going to be—as April struggles with this not-so-great news.
"We are always looking for those kinds of mile markers based on her treatment," Smith says. "Her next goal is to get rid of her cancer so she can have a bone marrow transplant which is still now waiting in the wings. At some point in the series, you'll see that happen. I wouldn't say far in the future. I would guestimate, should we be given a third season, it would probably happen sometime during that."
Chasing Life season two premieres tonight at 10 p.m. on ABC Family.