Toby Cavanaugh had returned from work early. Spencer had been basically living with him in his new flat for almost 2 months now and his heart still pined for her every moment they were apart. Toby hated the cheesiness of his feelings but he knew he couldn't help it; he really was in love. It was for this reason that he'd told his boss he had a dental appointment after lunch and wouldn't be returning for the rest of the day. He'd felt like a school child trying to weasel his way out of a sports lesson, but he couldn't face the thought of Spencer home alone after what had happened the night before.

'Toby!' Spencer had cried out as her boyfriend tickled her bare feet as they lay together on the sofa watching trash TV.
'Spence!' he had replied, imitating her childlike whine but refusing to halt what she saw as torture. She thrashed her feet and screamed until she could no longer breathe and realised that all along she had known how to stop him. She had pushed herself up onto her elbows and placed her mouth over his, stopping his actions. Knowing how much he loved making out on the sofa it was not long before Toby had wrapped his arms around Spencer's slim back and entwined his large hands in her messy hair, just as she'd expected. Spencer took the opportunity to move her own arms, allowing the strong embrace which engulfed her to keep her upright. She had wound her hands round Toby's neck and ever so gently began to tickle him at the nape, which she knew would send him crazy. The sexual act had disguised Spencer's ulterior motive and had allowed her work her way down his arms whilst he'd let out almost inaudible moans of pleasure. Her tickles continued back up the underside of his arms until they reached his armpits, where Spencer unleashed her fury. She had pulled away from the kiss and untangled herself from Toby's body whilst frantically making him endure the same pain which he had forced upon her. When Toby retaliated by grabbing Spencer's waist she took hold of his wrists and held them firm whilst she had turned her attention to his stomach. The hard plains of muscle made it hard for Spencer to get the reaction she desired but as she had worked closer to the belly button, Toby had caved and had resorted to using Spencer's own tactics against her by silencing her with a kiss.
'Well that's that game over,' Spencer had thought, returning the kiss and pushing Toby down so she lay on top of him on the uncomfortable sofa. Although Toby owning his own flat had its perks, his carpenters wage had only been enough to purchase second hand furnishings and he had refused to let Spencer 'waste her money' on him, although he had let her lend him money for the double bed in his room, which she use just as much as he did. Spencer could feel Toby getting hungry for more as he deepened the kiss but she knew that their actions couldn't go as far as he wanted that night. She had pulled away and moved her lips to the soft skin behind his ear, teasing him with soft butterfly kisses along his well defined jaw before grazing his ear with her teeth. She knew that this would only want to make him go further and this wasn't really fair, but she couldn't resist hearing the low groans which were forming deep in his throat. She hated that for days at a time every month they were limited in their actions but it couldn't be helped. She could feel him getting agitated beneath her and so reached down to the hem of his checked shirt and pulled it over his head. She gently traced her fingertips around the band of his jeans with one hand whilst exploring his abs with the other and he slipped his rough hand under her sheer top to explore her smooth back. She moved her mouth back to his, slipped her tongue between his willing lips and they started to battle.
'Spence,' he mumbled.
'Mmhh?' she replied.

'Why are you doing this?' He had asked, moving his mouth away from her and placing his lips on her shoulder.

'Because I can't help myself, you're too, well, irresistible,' Toby had giggled at her choice of language and worked his lips along her collar bone to her other shoulder, burying his face in her neck. Spencer decided that this was not fair on him and slipped the hand that had been playing with the skin around his waistband under the fabric to feel him very hard. She took his sharp intake of breath as a cue to continue and did so whilst moving her lips to meet his and running her tongue across his bottom lip. Toby had continued to let out gasps and moans which had only spurred Spencer to continue to squeeze and rub, and he tried to return the favour by working his fingers around the clasp of her bra until it came undone and proceeded to play with her breasts. Toby finished and put all his passion into kissing Spencer.

'You are amazing, you know?' he had praised.

'Hmm, you aren't so bad yourself,' she returned, quickly kissing him on the cheek before pulling them into a sitting position. She snuggled down into the comfort of Toby's arms and he nuzzled her neck affectionately. After a while, Spencer's stomach had started to rumble and Toby had made his way to the kitchen to see what she could eat, but had found the fridge lacking in milk and the cupboards lacking in produce.

'We can order take out?' he had offered, but Spencer suggested that they go to pick something up rather than just order in so as to get out of the small flat for a while. Toby had changed and Spencer went down to grab her coat from where she had left it in her car before meeting Toby in his truck. They had driven to the local pizza place but despite her large parka, Spencer had refused to leave the truck due to the chill that had developed in the night air. They had agreed on a large, classic margherita pizza with extra onions and Spencer had warned Toby to not dare to get mushrooms, the evil things. Whilst he was gone, her phone vibrated in her pocket. She retrieved it, expecting a text from Aria but instead found herself looking down at an unknown number. The phrase was no longer very apt, as Spencer knew exactly who the message would be from. She unlocked her phone and read the words on the screen.

Your carpenter should keep you closer Spence, he should know that these streets aren't safe at night.

-A

Spencer instinctively lent over to the passenger door to do the lock and glanced around in the dark, looking for danger. She should see the back of Toby's head in the shop, waiting to be served and silently willed him to hurry, scared of being alone for much longer. Spencer had heard the sounds of a speeding car coming round the corner and tried to make out the driver, but the windows had been tinted to prevent her from doing so. The next thing she knew, the car was driving straight at her, approaching the truck from behind at driving quickly into the back of it. The force threw Spencer forward and having taken off her seatbelt, she continued forward until her head smashed against the dashboard. The car drove backwards and sped away, somehow withstanding any damage. The truck's alarm had been triggered and Toby whirled round and took in the scene outside. The back of the truck was crumpled and from his position looked irreparable, but the focus of his attention was immediately diverted to the slender frame slumped across the dashboard. Toby had run from the shop and across the road, not bothering to wait for the cars which had to swerve to avoid hitting him to stop. He tried to open the door but found it locked, and having left the keys in the ignition he panicked. He ran to the other side of the truck and slammed his closed fist into the window of the passenger door, smashing it and cutting hi hand. He cleared the rest of the glass from the frame, obtaining more cuts on his wrist and leant in to unlock the car. Frantically, he ran back to the passenger door and opened it, finding Spencer unconscious. Shaking, he grabbed Spencer's phone from where it had fallen under the seat and ran for an ambulance, telling it to hurry. Toby had never understood why people in the movies said this, after all, an ambulance will always try to get to the scene of accident as quickly as it could, but he felt it necessary to add. The ambulance arrived just as Spencer was coming around.

'Toby?' she groaned weakly.

'I'm here Spence. It's all going to be fine,'

'It hurts,' she mumbled through tears, a sign that Toby took to show Spencer being in serious pain.

'I know, the ambulance is almost here, I can hear it now,'

'Don't leave me Toby,'

'Never,' he had replied, with the utmost sincerity, and had held her hand, not wanting to move her until the ambulance arrived.

Toby had driven in the ambulance to the hospital, not once letting go of Spencer's cold, shaking hand. The force of the collision had caused Spencer to dislodge a shoulder and the doctors said that she had a mild concussion, but that she would be fine to go home if she came back in the next few days. Toby had called for a cab and carried Spencer up the stairs, undressed her from her blood stained clothes and helped her into the pyjamas she had left at the flat, carefully manoeuvring her injured arm out of its sling and into the arm of the top. She lay down in bed and Toby tucked the duvet around her, telling her that he would sleep on the couch so that he wouldn't disturb her, but he had a feeling she was already asleep and hadn't heard him. He placed a soft kiss on her forehead and turned out the light, creeping out into the hall.

He had awoken in the morning to Spencer shouting his name. He got up from his makeshift bed, stretching his back, and moved ungracefully to the bedroom, flicking lights on as he went. He found Spencer not actually awake, but thrashing around in the bed, clearly having some kind of nightmare. He rushed over to her and placed a hand on his shoulder, which she unconsciously shook off. He tried again, this time holding both sides of her face and speaking her name. She began cease her movement and so Toby had shaken her awake, her deep brown eyes staring trustingly into his. She tried to sit up but he placed his warm hand on her shoulder, telling her he would bring her coffee. He made breakfast and climbed into the bed, allowing Spencer to sit close to him on the side which didn't put pressure on her shoulder.

'What time is it?' she enquired groggily.

'Quarter to 9,' he replied, looking down at the watch on his unbandaged wrist to check.

'What are you still doing here! Get to work!'

'I'm not leaving you here Spence; I'll call in sick,'

'You won't,' she told him firmly. 'I'll not have you sat with me all day doing nothing. Go to work, take your mind of things,'

'Spencer, I'm not leaving this room,' he protested.

'You are, and you'd better do it quick or you'll be late,' she countered.

'Spencer,'

'Toby, I'll be fine. I'm just going to sleep all day; you don't want to sit watching me do that,'

'Well, you are cute as a button when you sleep,'

'Toby, go to work!'

'Okay! I'm going! Ring me if you need anything, anything at all,' he said, planting a kiss on Spencer's lips.

He'd got to the yard but had struggled with the labour as the cuts he had obtained from smashing the window the night before were deep and sore. He moped around, looking for something he could do, but his heart hadn't been in it and he promptly declared his departure. He drove home is Spencer's car, his truck having been towed to the garage in the early hours of the morning, picking up pastries and lattes from the café on his way. He entered the flat quietly in case Spencer really was asleep, placed his purchases on the kitchen counter and made his way to the bedroom. Spencer was lying down, shivering, with her eyes closed, and didn't acknowledge Toby's presence when he entered the room. He hastened to the sofa to retrieve the extra blankets he'd slept with the night before and proceeded back to the bedroom to wrap them around Spencer's quaking frame. He lifted up the duvet and climbed in behind her, nestling his face in the crook of her neck and wrapping his arms around her in an attempt to warm her up. She stirred in his embrace and moved her head round slowly so she could look into his eyes.

'I told you to stay at work,' she said half-heartedly.

'I couldn't face the thought of you having another nightmare and me not being here,' he told her. Spencer sighed and tried to lift her head to reach Toby's lips, but she struggled, so he brought his lips to her. Still sleepy, Spencer pulled away and turned her head back to the soft pillow. She was warmer since Toby had returned and felt infinitely safer.

'I love you,' she whispered breathily, already feeling tiredness creeping up around her.

'I love you too, more than I think you'll ever realise,' he replied, gently placing his lips on her temple, letting them linger, before returning to his position in her neck. Spencer wanted to argue that he could never love her as much as she loved him, but sleep claimed her and she floated into a dreamless sleep in the arms of the man she love more than anything in the world.