New story. This is the one I've been promising forever, a Spoby version of If I Stay. You'll find that the Hastings are probably the most AU in this story, just because I wanted to make Spencer and Toby as similar to Adam and Mia as I could while still having them remain in character. Just, you'll see, okay?
Also, I don't even want to talk about PLL. I'm so mad. But I'm also so sure that Spoby will be fine. Take a hot second and think about who those kids are and everything they've gone through together and for each other. Toby wouldn't suddenly decide being a cop is more important. He has a plan.
So anyway, read and review okay? :)
Prologue
It was cold. Later it would seem so insignificant, but it was what stood out to her that day. She would remember how she shivered when she kicked off the worn quilt that her Nana had made her or how her mom's hands sent goosebumps erupting along her exposed arms when she gave her a hug. She would remember how the hot coffee burnt her tongue, but how good it felt to have some part of her feel warm.
Some people blamed the snow, and to an extent she supposed that was true. They were no stranger to the occasional snowfall in south east Pennsylvania, but it was infrequent that so much fell in such a short period of time. They probably should have just stayed home, but the Hastings were never ones to back down from a challenge. But even more than that, the trip was a necessary evil. Pennsylvanians were overly optimistic about the weather. No one really expected the snowfall that blanketed their sleepy town that night.
But that was a metaphor for life, because what was life other than expected? No one ever anticipated the worst until it happened, but what were you supposed to do when it did? What do you do when the worst happens? How do you move on? Who do you have to become to survive?
What if you don't want to survive?
Chapter 1
"Spencer! Get your ass out of bed!"
She groaned and rolled over, pulling a pillow over her head. She hadn't spotted her alarm clock in the two seconds that her bleary eyes were opened, but she knew that it was far too early to be awake. She shivered, the cold air seeping underneath the blanket. Why must her father insist on keeping a frigid house?
"Just make coffee, it'll get her lazy bum up."
They were probably right, but for right now even the promise of coffee wasn't enough for her to tear herself away from the covers. It was just so warm. But it wasn't long until the aroma from the freshly brewed coffee roused her from her semi-conscious state, and like a cartoon character whose nose was following the swirls of smell, she made her way into the kitchen.
Melissa stood by the coffee pot, a grin on her face. "I've been gone for six months and I still knew how to wake her up better than you two did. Worst parents ever."
"They're the pits," Spencer agreed with a yawn, reaching blindly for a cup. Melissa put it in her hands, the grin still on her face. Spencer looked between the three of them, her suspicion growing. "What are you all looking at me like that for?"
"Well, we did a thing," her mom began slowly. "And you're not going to like the thing, but you still have to come."
"What?" She groaned plopping down onto her chair. "If it involves leaving the house you can forget it. It's like a blizzard outside."
Melissa sat down next to her, entirely too cheerful for anyone awake before ten am. "Um no. I just measured it for my Earth Science class. Exactly 2.75 inches have fallen, and the plows have already been down the roads. It'll be fine."
Her dad joined them at the table, taking the last bite of the muffin in his hand. "That thing involves going to see your grandmother in the nursing home. We haven't been in awhile, and I want to check on her."
"Nana?" She perked up, causing the entire room to laugh. "Shut up, you guys are assholes."
"So you'll come?" Her mom handed her one of the muffins. "We need to leave in a few minutes."
She glanced out the window, taking a small bite of her muffin as she examined the landscape. She couldn't see much as their property was surrounded by a line of trees, but what she did see was less than promising. It looked like her exact picture of hell. But it was for her Nana, and she supposed that her family could be pretty cool.
"Would it help if we told you that your young man could come along?" Her dad offered up, misreading her silence for the negative.
Her lips twitched. "It might, but alas he's busy today." The thought of Toby and her Nana together literally made her heart melt a little bit. Her boyfriend was quite possibly the sweetest person on the planet, and everyone loved him, but her Nana did especially. She actually might love him too much, because she was pretty sure that she caught her admiring his ass and mumbling something about nice buns the last time they were in the same room.
"Ah, what's the illustrious Mr. Cavanaugh doing today?" Melissa chugged back the rest of her coffee. "Just wear your sweats, sis. Nana won't care, and if we want to get there before lunch time we have to get going."
She shrugged and reached for her boots by the door. "You don't have to tell me twice. Also, Toby has a concert in Philadelphia today. Maybe I'll just stay after we're done with Nana and hitch a ride back with him."
Mom nodded approvingly from her spot by the sink. "He likes it when you go. He'd never ask you to come, but you can see the way his eyes light up when you talk about his music."
A soft snort came from her father. "When you were little I never thought I would like anyone you brought home. And as a dad, no one is ever really good enough for your daughter, but Toby comes hella close."
She laughed, popping the last bite of muffin into her mouth. "Dad, you did not just say hella." She grabbed the overnight bag that she had taken to Hanna's house last night, just figuring that she could go ahead and repeat an outfit. If Hanna was there she would silently judge her, but no one else would know or care.
Melissa linked arms with her as they walked out to the car. "Sometimes I find it hard to reconcile my experience with your puppy dog boyfriend and the rock star that he apparently is."
"Story of my life," she laughed, thinking of her cello upstairs. Despite her parents' obsession with the genre, she never expected to fall for someone of the rocker persuasion. Classical music was definitely more her speed. The chilling sound of the cello, the happy allegro of the violin, the gentle overture from the piano... she loved it all. But recently she had learned to hear the subtle beauty of the music her boyfriend and her parents enjoyed so much.
That being said, she still enjoyed a good round of Mozart over basically anything. "Since you all dragged me out of bed at the crack of dawn, can I at least pick the music?"
"Twist my arm," her mom laughed and passed her the auxiliary cable.
She smiled and plugged her phone, flipping to her favorite concerto. When the soothing tones of the music flowed from the speakers she leaned back and closed her eyes, the lids feeling heavy. She was never good at the morning thing, and any reunion that she could have with her bed was a win in her book. But she supposed that the back seat of her dad's car would do too. The drive to Philadelphia was the perfect length for a nap.
But almost as soon as she leaned back a back a grinding screeching filled her ears. For a second it felt like her stomach was twisting into knots like she was on the worst kind of roller coaster. There was a brief, blinding pain and then she knew nothing at all.
