Race A-gainst Time

Hey everyone this is a new one shot I've been working on. I actually wrote this while I was in school. This one shot takes place between 5x16 and 5x20. Just something my own creative mind came up with. I decided to make this a short story.

Toby hasn't seen Spencer in almost two weeks. He'd be lying is he said he didn't miss her. She's texted him a few times asking where he's been. His phone is full of messages from her. He responded a couple times to let her know he's okay, because he knows how much she worries about him when he pulls the disappearing act.

"When I worry about "A" getting a hold of you or hurting you or worse. You know I have a very real picture of what that looks like in my mind."

He knew. He knew how much pain he had caused her in the past. He knows how many times he's failed to keep her safe. All he can ever think about is how to keep her safe. Each time he comes up with a plan to protect her, it ends up slipping through his fingers. No matter what he does he always fails. He became a cop to protect her and once again he failed. He is so tired of failing her. He didn't even have the guts to tell her he got fired.

"You're going to make an excellent authority figure."

She looked at him with so much pride in her eyes when she said those words. She believed in him and once again he let her down. How is he supposed to keep her safe now?

Over time the texts from Spencer have decreased. She picked up on the fact that he needed space. That's fine with her. She'll give him all the space he needs as long as he come back to her. Since Toby is gone again she's been trying to keep herself busy with school work, tracking down "A", keeping am eye on Holbrook. and helping Jonny with some mysterious project. Even with all of this stuff she still finds time to miss Toby, which is all the time.

He should be the one to make her smile. He should be the one here to hear her laugh. He should be the one she's with right now, not Jonny. She doesn't even know what she's being dragged into. She's going along with whatever to keep busy. Jonny just figured she's really into helping him, but he doesn't know her. He doesn't know her like Toby does. Toby is the only one who knows what she thinks, when she does something, and why she does it.

"What do you want?"

She looked back at him.

"What makes you think that I want something?"

"Because you never do anything without a reason."

And he was right. Spencer never does something without a reason behind it. She's not sure why she's spending her time this way. She never knows what to do anymore without Toby.

The click of the turn signal broke her from her daze. Right now she's riding with Jonny in his little hippie van. They just got finished shopping around town for stuff he needed for a new project. All day her mind would wonder off and she'd be finding herself thinking about Toby. What is he doing? Where is he? Who is he with? How is he? When is he coming back? Why did he leave again?

She knows why he left. It's because of her She's always driving him away and she can't help but feel guilty of that.

"Do you want some coffee?"

"Hmm?"

She snapped out of it and looked at him.

"I asked you if you wanted to get coffee. There's a small cafe right there."

"Oh yeah, coffee sounds great."

"You alright?"

No. She nodded, "uh huh."

A small smile played across his face.

"Alright lets go."

He took of his seat belt and jumped out of the van. She sat back for a second to take a deep breath. If that was Toby, he wouldn't even have to ask her if somethings wrong. He would just take one look at her, lock the door, and they would not move until she spilled.

The cafe was small and had a friendly feel to it. It looked more like a grandmas kitchen. There are a few tables set up around the dining area. Most of the tables are booths.

"Why don't you take a seat and I'll get the coffee."

Spencer nodded then sat down at a table. Jonny walked over to the counter and ordered two coffees. One large with one tea spoon of sugar, and one medium with two tea spoons and cream. The cashier told him it would be a few minutes since their just now making a new pot of coffee. Jonny leaned back against the counter and waited. No body seemed to notice the hooded figure walking out of the kitchen then out the door.

A minute after the figure left, a new face walked through the door. Toby just got back to town and stopped in for a quick bite. He has to get back to Spencer. He walked up to the counter and didn't even recognize Jonny standing just a few feet away from him.

"Toby?"

He turned to look at the guy beside him. It took him a while to recognize him. Then it clicked.

"Jonny."

"I didn't expect to see you here. Spencer told me you were out of town on business,"

Toby felt a tight sinsation in his gut.

"Spencer talked to you?"

Jonny nodded and pointed behind him. "Yeah, she's here two you know."

Toby turned around and his breath caught when he saw her. She was sitting hunched over at a table tearing open the sugar packets getting the table all messy. Toby felt a ping of jealousy that she's here with him. He made it very clear on the day that he met Jonny that Spencer is his woman. Him being here with Spencer is not okay. Not in Toby's book. Toby faced the guy.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Getting coffee," he replied.

"No," Toby said through gritted teeth. "What are you doing with her?"

Jonny didn't see a problem here.

"She's helping me with an art project. I'm painting a billboard that's set up along the interstate."

Toby felt anger rise up through his system. This guy is having Spencer help him vandalize a billboard. From day one he knew something was odd about this guy.

"Does Spencer know what you're going?"

"No," he replied smoothly."I'll tell her when we get to it."

"Are you telling me that you're tricking her into committing a crime?"

"It's not a crime, it's freedom of expression."

"You won't be feeling much freedom when you see red, blue, and red flashing lights coming your way."

"Hey, just because you're a cop doesn't mean i'm afraid of you."

Toby stepped forward. "How about the over protective boyfriend that's about to beat your ass!"

"Toby."

He heard a soft raspy voice speak. He turned around and saw Spencer standing a few feet behind them.

"Spencer," he said on instinct.

She stepped closer to him a small smile spread across her face.

"What are you doing here?"

"I uh was coming back to Rosewood."

"Are you okay? Why did you leave?" She asked.

Her eyes were now sad and that broke his heart.

"I needed time to think. I didn't know how to tell you that..."

"Spencer here's your coffee," Jonny cut in.

Damn did Toby wish he could sock him right now. Spencer took her coffee, but kept her eyes on Toby. He watched her take a big gulp of her coffee.

"We should go sit down," Jonny suggested.

"Wait," she said. "I have to talk to Toby."

"You can go Spence," Toby said. "We'll talk later."

She swallowed another big gulp of her coffee.

"No, i'm tried of waiting."

Toby touched her arm. "Finish up your coffee then I'll give you a ride home."

Spencer nodded then took another small sip. She fallowed Jonny over to their table and suddenly her forehead started sweating like crazy. The inside of her mouth started to feel really dry all of a sudden and she found her self having to gasp for air. Now she was feeling light headed even after sitting down.

"Are you okay?" Jonny asked.

Spencer tried to speak, but each time she opened her mouth she was struggling to breath. Now her eyes are watering and her face is turning red from lack of oxygen. Spencer clapped her hands around her neck as she suddenly lost all the ability to breath. Then she collapsed to the floor and continued trying to breath.

"Oh my god!" Jonny shouted, while standing up. "We need some help over here!"

Toby spun around and felt his heart shatter. His Spencer was on the ground trying to breath. His whole mind was racing trying to figure out what to do.

"Spencer!"

Toby rushed to Spencer's side shoving Jonny out of the way and knelt down beside. He took her hand on instinct. Spencer was still struggling to breath and that scared him.

"Somebody call 911!" He shouted.

A couple people already did that. Toby stayed by Spencer's side, holding her hand, and watching her with worried eyes.

"What the hell did you do!" He shouted at Jonny.

"I didn't do anything!" He exclaimed.

"Was something put into her coffee?"

"I don't know."

"Hand me the receipt," Toby ordered.

Jonny handed him the receipt. Toby scanned the receipt then gasped once he saw it.

"You ordered her hazelnut coffee! She's allergic to hazelnuts you idiot!"

"I-I didn't know and that's not what I ordered her.

Spencer gripped Toby's hand to get his attention. He looked down at her and watched Spencer's eyes roll back into her head. She passed out right there on the floor. Toby's heart sank into the pit of his stomach. She is dying and there is no way they can wait for help to come. He has to get her to the hospital now! He picks Spencer up and holds her bridal style then starts running out the door.

"Where are you going!?" Jonny shouted after him.

"I'm taking her to the hospital!"

"Wait for the paramedics. You're never make it on time!"

"If she waits, she'll die and I am not taking that chance."

Without saying another word, Toby charged out the door with Spencer curled up in his arms.

Dun dun dun... Will Toby get Spencer to the hospital on time? Will she survive? Stay tuned to find out.

part two coming soon