In the four months since they had reunited, Spencer and Toby's lives had been anything but simple. A hadn't stopped their relentless torture, although at least this time Spencer knew that she had Toby on her side for sure and that she could always talk him if she needed help and vice versa.
The one thing that Spencer could rely on was her safe place to land. She knew that Toby had done some bad things in the past, but his actions were just that: in the past. They had moved straight back into their usual routine, the simple dates that usually consisted of the two of them at one of their homes, doing things like watching movies or just talking.
Despite his never-ending pleas for her to move in to his loft, Spencer was still living with her parents, although she hadn't yet told Toby of her plans for them to move in together after she graduated from Rosewood High, her hopes that he would come with her if she decided to confirm her acceptance to the University of Pennsylvania, which Spencer had been thinking about for weeks.
Today was no different to their usual dates. They were sitting on the couch in Toby's loft, his arm was slung lightly over her shoulder and her head was resting on his chest as some movie played in the background. Neither of them was focused on the movie, instead settling on being content just being in each other's company even so long after their time apart.
When Spencer's hands suddenly stopped their tracks up and down Toby's spine, he looked down at her, his eyes full of concern.
"Is everything alright?" he asked, holding her chin lightly in his usually strong hand.
"Everything is great, better than great. I'm just so happy right now, I don't want it to ever end, which is why I've been reluctant to tell you that I've decided to go to UPenn." Her reluctance to meet Toby's deep blue eyes was scaring him.
"Spencer, that's amazing! I'm so proud of you for getting in, even though I always knew you would. I'm surprised it took you so long to decide though." His attempts to reassure her were obviously working as her eyes finally made moves to look into his.
"I guess I was just scared, I didn't know what me moving away would do to us, what you would want to do."
"Well what would have happened if you had chosen to go to Hollis?" he questioned. He had been thinking about what he would do for a while when she finally committed to UPenn, he could see it coming a mile away.
"Well I was thinking that maybe your offer of living here would still be up for grabs." The smile on her face couldn't mask the uncertainty in her eyes.
"Of course I'd still love to live with you. I want to hold you in my arms all night, every night, and wake up beside you every morning. I want to bring you breakfast in bed after a hard week of classes and make you ridiculously strong coffee to wake you up." His eyes were always the give away for a lie or caution, but as far as she could see he was being completely genuine. "What if I moved away with you?"
"Really? You would want all of that with me? You would move away from your home, your family, your job, for me?"
"Spencer, you would think that by now you would have realized that I would do anything for you. I love you so much, more than you could possibly know, and I can't wait to begin the rest of my life with you. As long as you're sure that you want all of that with me, after everything I've put you through?" He held both of her hands tightly in his, but not tight enough to hurt her, he knew better than to do that now.
"Rosewood hasn't been a home for me since my mom died, I see my dad in passing and even then he barely says a word to me. I'm sure there will be plenty of job opportunities for a carpenter, it's not like I have the world's best paying job. You're the closest thing to family I have and I don't want to lose you, I can't lose you. Not again." He continued listing his reasons for leaving and Spencer's eyes began to fill with tears as he finished.
"So you're completely sure? You won't change your mind in a few months when you realize what a horrible person I am to live with?" They both laughed through their tears, and Toby moved closer to her in order to connect their lips briefly.
"Yes, I'm sure. I've never been more sure of anything in my life!" Their previous kiss obviously hadn't satisfied either of them and they reconnected their lips for a more desperate liplock, full of hunger and need as Toby moved to hover over her as they lay down on the sofa.
"Is it always gonna be like this? There's a bedroom right there, yet we almost always end up making out on the couch like animals or at least horny teenagers," Toby growled at the loss of contact with her lips.
"Well, Miss Hastings, horny teenagers is exactly what we are. I only have another year to use that as an excuse, but for a year after that you can still use that excuse." The conversation ended then, both of them laughing against the other's lips as they gripped at any and all clothing they could reach.