A/N: Been wanting to write a fic for 1x13 when Spencer sees Toby go into the alley, finally got around to it. Can I just it's one of my favorite Spoby scenes e-v-e-r !

Disclaimer: You know the deal, uh-uh.

Sorry for any typos in advance ;)

change of heart

-Spoby-

It all starts when Spencer decides to go for a run.

She needs a distraction—anything to take her mind off of A and her sister and Ian's sudden "marriage" (if it can even be called that) and Hanna's accident and how badly she hates all this. So she grabs her iPod, jams on her sneakers, and bolts out the door of the Hastings' house, shoving her earbuds into her ears.

Her heart is racing and her muscles are burning due to her extra intense lacrosse practices for the week (also thanks to Ian, her, gulp, brother-in-law), the sweat pouring off her chest as her legs carry along the pavement. Whatever song she's listening to has become unrecognizable, the sound of her body working harder and harder to push herself drowning out all other noise around her. She sprints past a black SUV—now further into town—stopping when her eyes suddenly land on none other than Toby Cavanaugh shuffling across the street in front of Lucky Leon's Cupcakes.

Her legs seem to turn into jelly and she freezes behind the parked SUV, chest still heaving while she slowly and carefully removes each earbud from her ears. She crouches down further trying her best to remain unseen as Toby comes in contact with some of the other townspeople who don't look too pleased to bump into him.

A middle aged man sticks his head out the window of a moving car, shouting at him and then two small children licking ice cream cones dash away from him in fear when he offers them a genuine friendly smile.

She (Spencer) witnesses both exchanges, her eyes not leaving Toby's now defeated form for a second. She watches him slip into a nearby alley and feeling strangely curious as to why he spontaneously decided to hide away, follows him across the street, stopping by the large iron gate beside the dumpster.

She watches him sink down against a large brick wall, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his head back as the tears begin to fall. She worries that he will catch on that she is there, peeking through the slits in the gate, but given the way he just stares blankly at the sky, it's evident he doesn't notice.

Spencer realizes it's not exactly considerate for her to be standing there ogling him like he's some kind of circus freak, yet at the same time, she can't peel her eyes away. It's a different side of Toby that she's seeing—a human side.

For once Spencer isn't labeling him as a killer or a perv or a cold blooded animal that deserves everything that's being thrown at him. She's witnessing him in another light; one she surmises no one ever witnesses. Her heart is breaking, breaking for him. For all the mean, downright horrible things people have said about him and directly to him.

She's feeling bad because she's one of those people herself.

She's one of the people cursing Toby Cavanaugh because like most people in Rosewood, she thinks he killed her best friend. She knows from the way that he's crying he didn't. He just couldn't have.

Because a killer wouldn't be the least bit remorseful nor would he sneak into an alley and cry after people called him out on what he supposedly did. Toby isn't a killer. Not at all.

The longer Spencer stands there and sees him crying the worse she feels. She wants to creep into the alley and slouch on the ground beside him, but she knows he'd probably get up and leave because he's aware what she thinks of him. Or rather, used to think.

So she sighs and spins on her heel and runs away. She runs all the way back to her house, her iPod still clipped to her training jacket and her earbuds flailing in the breeze. She slows up when she reaches the back door, struggling to catch her breath as she twists the knob and walks into the kitchen.

She's not surprised to bump into Ian (he lives here now too, unfortunately) who's combing through the fridge looking for food. He jumps a little when he realizes she's there, but then quickly covers it with one of his famous megawatt smiles.

"Hey Spence. Didn't see you there."

Evidently. Spencer feels like replying, though instead, she bites her tongue and smiles back as fakely as she can, trying her hardest to mask her displeasure (she can't believe what she ever saw in Ian, he's a complete and total sketch).

"Yeah, well, I just got back from my run. Hope I didn't scare you too much." Haha.

"That had nothing to do with you. I came home a few minutes before you from taking care of a few errands. Saw Toby Cavanaugh along the way. I can't believe the kid, can you? He goes and kills Alison then has the guts to walk around in this town like's he innocent. I thought he was supposed to be on house arrest."

Spencer shrugs. "I'm not sure of all the details, but…"

"But…?"

"I don't think he did what he's accused of."

"What? Are you insane? Spencer, he killed your best friend!"

"Anyone could've killed Alison, practically the whole town hated her! And pinning it all on Toby just doesn't seem fair."

"Doesn't seem fair? Spence, the cops found Alison's blood on his sweater. Blood! That's evidence! What more do you need?"

"How about an actual murder weapon or an eyewitness or something! Anyone could've done it! Anyone!"

"When did you become such a supporter for Toby Cavanaugh? Huh? When?"

Spencer opens her mouth to answer, except no words will come out. She swallows hard, then tries again. "Since I saw a different side of him today." And with that, Spencer exits the kitchen and bounds up the stairs to her room.

A/N: Feedback, if possible, please? And how excited are you all that #PLL is back in 6 days?