Hey! I'm so excited...this is my first Pretty Little Liars piece! Originally I was just going to write about each man and a moment with their daughter, but then it turned into something more. Each title and daddy/daughter ending moment is based off a daddy/daughter song. I hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I own neither, Pretty Little Liars, or its characters.
Fatherhood was something truly indescribable. When he was young he'd looked up to his parents and couldn't wait to one day have his own children. He remembered all the places they took him to: museums, carnivals, movies. He knew that one day he would do the very same with his children. Then his mother died. Suddenly he didn't want to be a father anymore. In losing his mother, he lost his father as well. His dad was never the same. He remarried, but it was to provide Toby with the mother figure he thought was necessary. Toby's view of parenthood was forever skewed after his mother's death. And then there was Jenna. She took the only thing left he had control of away from him. He viewed himself as damaged goods. Someone no one would love the way he craved. He was the pariah of the town. Judged and ridiculed, merely for being at the wrong place at the wrong time.
But then he met Spencer. His confusion was met with intrigue when she showed up at his front door one day, announcing herself as his French tutor. To say he fell fast would be an understatement. She quickly became his world, his inspiration, his everything. He would protect and love her at all costs. For the first time since his mother's death he could picture a family. It was never something they had really discussed out loud, but he knew that one day it would happen.
He never thought that day would come so quickly. He was in Washington visiting Spencer. When she picked him up at the airport, he could tell something was off. They drove in silence back to her dorm room. As he was setting his bags down she said quickly "I might be pregnant."
They got back in the car and drove once again in silence to the nearest drug store. Spencer went to the bathroom the second they stepped back in her room, while he made himself a cup of coffee. When Spencer emerged, he asked "How long does this take?"
"Three minutes, it said on the package," She replied quietly. He took a sip of his coffee.
He wanted to talk about what they were going to do. Spencer shot at him how she was just a sophomore and the fact that he didn't even live in the state. He said he could apply for a transfer, but yet again she quickly retorted "And what, you wanna move into my dorm room?".
"You don't have to... say it like that," he said sheepishly.
"Like what?"
"Like living together would be such a horrible thing," Living with her had been something he'd dreamt about since they'd fallen in love.
"In this context it would be. I'm sorry, but it would," She said on the verge of tears.
"You're talking about this like it would ruin our lives." He was confused why she seemed to be taking this so negatively. He'd always assumed that their lives would come to this point eventually. She told him that she had never thought that far ahead. It hurt him that she hadn't thought about it and in his anger asked her if she'd made up her mind about him. They argued until he said
"It's just, I feel like...when we're picturing our future together...we're not looking at the same picture anymore."
Then the timer went off.
Their breakup wasn't immediate. He just came to visit less and less and she would FaceTime him less and less, the goodnight and goodmorning texts started to vanish, and eventually they both decided it was time. It was the worst time of Toby's life. He started drinking and sleeping around. He was hurt and confused. Then he met Yvonne. The more he looked back at it, the more he realized that he was initially attracted to her because she reminded him of Spencer. Smart, political, ambitious, beautiful, these were all traits the two women shared. He fooled himself for awhile, even proposing to her. He thought that maybe he would be content. When Spencer came back into his life, his mind went crazy. Whatever feelings he had for Yvonne went away. Spencer came to see him one night, about a week after he proposed to Yvonne.
"Can we talk?" She asked him shyly.
"Yeah, of course," He led her to a picnic table he'd set up. "What's going on?"
"I know I probably shouldn't be talking to you about this, but I just felt like coming here."
"What's wrong?" He asked with urgency.
"I broke up with Caleb," She stated it matter of factly.
"Oh."
"I was fooling myself. He still loves her. It's clear as day," As she said this, he couldn't help but feel his heart start to beat faster.
"Spencer.."
"No, no, don't. I don't know why I came here." She ran off. Something clicked inside him. It wasn't because she was suddenly available. It was the fact that she still trusted him. She could have gone to anyone to talk to about this, but she came to him. A man she hadn't really seen in two years. A man she'd been in love with once. He realized in that moment that his life was going in the wrong direction. When Yvonne came home that night, he told her everything. All the feeling's he'd been having, the doubts, his fears. She wasn't happy, but she was also grateful that he told her before they did the whole holy matrimony thing.
He didn't want to rush into anything with Spencer. He let the news of his broken engagement spread naturally. She showed up at his doorstep about a week later.
"Did you break up with her because of me?"
"No. Well, yes, but not just because of you. Spencer, you and I both know that we never stopped loving each other. I was insecure. I've never thought I was good enough for you. I saw where your life was headed and I got scared. I should've fought. I love you. I know you love me. And if it takes time, then it takes time, but I want to be with you. I want to marry you. I will do anything for you Spencer."
She kissed him with more passion than she'd ever kissed anyone with before.
Things moved quickly after that. Spencer woke up one morning and said she wanted to marry him, so they went to the courthouse that day and were wed. The house he'd been building was for her all along, so they moved in and made it a home. They'd finally discussed children. Spencer told him that she didn't want to deprive the world of more people like him. They decided they were going to start trying. It was on their two year anniversary that she broke down.
"Toby we have been at this for years, and nothing has happened, what makes you think today is going to be any different."
"Spencer the doctors said everything is alright, we just need to give it time."
"How much time is enough time, Toby?"
"Just take a test today, please."
"Fine." She disappeared into their bedroom and closed the door. Five minutes later, he heard a yelp.
"What? What is it?" H.e asked exasperatedly.
"Toby. Look."
And there he saw it. A positive result.
"Hi, sweet girl. I love you so much. Today was crazy, I know. I'm so happy you're here."
Toby sat in the moonlit room holding his newborn daughter. Spencer was finally asleep and he'd asked the nurse if he could spend some time with his daughter. Family and friends had been in and out all day and this was his first time alone with her. He thought back to when he was a child, wanting to be a dad one day. This moment was greater than anything he'd ever expected. She was so tiny, yet the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. They'd done a damn good job. Spencer had been amazing during her pregnancy. She worked until the very last month. She exercised and ate healthy. She'd gone to prenatal classes and read all the books. It made him so happy to see how happy she was to be having a child. He knew that no matter what happened to him throughout the rest of his life, he would alway have a reason-two reasons-to go on.
"You're so lovely, Marlee Marion Cavanaugh. I will never stop loving you, you precious, wonderful girl."
There you go! Let me know what you think! 3
