AN: Hey guys! Wow, I haven't written in a while. Sorry to anyone who was reading my Hunger Games story; I got completely distracted by school and major writer's block that I couldn't quite get over. But just recently, I started watching Pretty Little Liars on Netflix and holy cow, guys, did I get hooked. I am obsessed with not only the show, but with one of my new favorite ships: Spoby or Spencer and Toby. Holy cats, they're perfect and even though I'm only two seasons into the show, I felt a major need to write some fanfiction about them.
IMPORTANT: Since I am only two seasons into the show, I obviously don't know what's going to happen next. If anyone spoils or hints at ANYTHING, I will not be happy. Please just be a nice person and don't. Thankkkk youuuuu.
This one-shot takes place the night Spencer and Toby are in Toby's truck and see Mr. Hastings come out of Jason's house. It's about what I imagined should happen after Mr. Hastings yells at them and tells Spencer to go home. If you recall, he shouts and bangs on the side of the truck, which was not only completely uncalled for, but also kind of scary for a father to do. A song I listened to while writing this that really affected the way the story played out was I Hurt Tooby Katie Herzig ( watch?v=oFgIFaKTrlE) I recommend you check it out. Soooo, this is what I think Spencer's reaction should have been more like and how the night would have played out :) Hope you enjoy!
"Spencer! Spencer, you get out of the truck and walk home! Spencer, you listen to me!," Mr. Hastings yelled, hitting the side of the truck as Toby tried to swerve out of the driveway. Spencer's father slapped the passenger's door hard, making her flinch. "Spencer!," she heard him yell one more time as they sped down the road, and she curled into the side of the seat. She could see him kicking dust at the ground through the sideview mirror, tears pricking her eyes.
"Spence," she heard Toby whisper as she wiped hard at her eyes. She turned toward the window and ignored the whisper. He sighed loudly and Spencer heard the click of the gear as he shifted into park. "Are you-," he started before being cut off.
"I'm fine, Toby," she huffed and touched her eyes again to make sure the tears had stopped. "This is just how my family works, okay?" Peering more closely outside, she saw that he had driven too far. "Toby, you passed my-,"
"I'm not letting you go back there tonight. Your dad is obviously ticked and I don't want anything to happen to you," he said calmly, but she could see his jaw clench and his hands grip the steering wheel.
She rolled her eyes and finally faced him. "He's not going to do anything to me, Toby. He's mad but he'll get over it," she said.
"Well, I know for a fact that you don't cry and I saw your eyes," he whispered. "Does he usually yell like that?"
Spencer had turned back to her window and trained her eyes on the ground below. "I told you; he won't do anything."
Toby unbuckled his seat belt and slid over to her. He put one of his arms around her but she stayed glued to her place. "I just don't want you to get hurt, physically or emotionally. I know from experience both can hurt," he said. "You're tough as a nail, Spence, but I care too much. Your dad shouldn't do that to you." Spencer slowly turned her head to face him and the glistening had returned to her eyes. "Oh, Spencer," he whispered as she buried her head in his neck and wrapped himself around her.
"What did I do wrong? I thought I just asked him but I probably-," she sniffed.
"You didn't do anything wrong. What happened back there, that was all your dad. You had a right to know what was happening and he blew," Toby whispered soothingly and cupped his hand around her head, so her shaking body was secure next to his. She pulled her knees up to her chest and closed her stinging eyes.
"I don't want to go home, either," she said shakily into his chest.
"I can drop you off at Emily's or-," he started but she shook her head.
"No. I want to stay with you," she whispered. He kissed her head and held her closer.
"I'd take you back to my house but I'm sure Jenna's there. I don't think either of you want to be near each other now," he replied and Spencer chuckled.
"You don't say," she mumbled. "But you shouldn't let her affect your decisions."
"Oh, I'm not. I just really don't want to see her either." Toby looked out the window while playing with her hair, then scooted back towards the steering wheel.
"What is it?" Spencer asked, sitting up. Toby pulled on his seatbelt and she mirrored his action.
"We can drive by my house and see if Jenna's there, but if she is, I have an idea of where we can go," he said while starting the ignition. He pulled out from the side of the street, then reached over and gave Spencer a sly smile, putting out his hand like a question. She laughed and grabbed his hands with both of her's, as if scared someone would try to separate them. They drove along the bumps and turns of the road in pleasant silence. Spencer's eyes felt red and dry from her tears and she closed them, resting her head on the top of the seat.
The aching in her neck is what woke her up. Spencer groaned as she lifted her hand to her face to rub her eyes. After rubbing off any makeup that could still be there after crying, she looked around her. She laughed when she saw Toby curled up next to her, his hair ruffled by turning and tossing. Sleep seemed to take away the ghosts in his eyes and the extra age off of his face. She reached out to gently brushed some of the hair off of his forehead. As soon as her hand reached his skin, his eyes flashed open and he pushed himself up. Spencer pulled her hand away and held it close to her chest.
"I'm-I'm sorry," she stammered. "You just- I'm sorry."
His eyes softened and he put his hands over his face. "No, no, Spencer, I'm sorry," he sighed.
"What's wrong?" she asked, sliding closer to him. "Is it something I did or...?"
Toby grabbed her hand again and closed his eyes. "No, it wasn't you. It's just...," he started. "Before the... accident, Jenna used to sneak into my room while I was asleep and she'd watch me. She would try to touch and kiss my face and the first time, when I woke up, I got angry and I threatened her, but she just laughed. Asked me who Mom and Dad would really believe. She did it all the time after that and I'd just keep my eyes shut and grit my teeth. It wasn't until the fire that she stopped," he finished quietly. "I woke up, I didn't know where I was and my first thought was that it was starting again." He turned to face the window but Spencer grabbed his arm and pulled him into a hug.
"I'm so sorry," she whispered in his ear.
"No, Spence, I told you it wasn't your fault," he replied firmly.
She pulled away and touched the side of his face softly. "I mean, I'm sorry for what she did to you. I'm sorry you had no one to tell and I'm sorry I wasn't there," she spoke, sadly. He studied her face, trying to take in every inch before leaning in to kiss her. It was a sad kiss; a kiss full of remorse and longing for a different past. She cupped his cheek before they slowly pulled away.
"You know," he added, "Jenna always said she loved me. She said there was no one else who know me or loved me the way she could, and I started to believe her. But now," he chuckled, "now I see how wrong she was."
Spencer smiled sadly before leaning into him. She looked out the front window and tried to see into the dark. "Where are we?" she asked.
Toby looked out and studied the trees before him. "We're in a corner of the park. I hid out here when the cops were after me. No one comes over here. I slept right on that bench over there," he pointed out into the dark. Spencer tried to see past the darkness but was too distracted by his words. She looked up at his face before sitting up, her brow wrinkled.
"How do you not hate me, Toby?" she asked.
"What?" he laughed, before seeing the seriousness in her face. "I could never hate you, Spence."
"But you must have. Before. Back when Alison was still here. You must have hated my guts when you saw me across the street during the fire," she rambled. "Even now. The cops were just after you for the murder of Ali, something even I thought you did, so how could you lay on that bench and not hate me!" She was crying again and she wasn't quite sure why. It probably had something to do with all the guilt she was feeling over causing pain to this boy that she was pretty sure she loved.
"Spencer," he said softly, while grabbing her arms to keep her from pulling away. "I don't know how I was feeling then. I could have been mad at your group of friends at the time but that doesn't affect how I feel about you now."
"But that doesn't change how I feel! I hurt you and I don't understand how you could just let that go," she exclaimed, stumbling over how to say what she felt. "I don't get how-"
"Hey," he said, firmly but keeping his voice calm, "I don't hate you. If I ever did, I stopped the minute you smiled at me on my porch, helping me with French. I don't hate you now, Spencer, and I never could again because I know that I love you." He didn't wait to see if she'd argue her point again because his lips had already found her's. He gently pushed back her hair as she clung to his chest. "Our lives are both less than perfect," he started, while pulling away, "but as long as I have you, I'll be fine."
They slowly reclined back on to the seat so they were laying, and when the sun came back up, it would find them asleep in each others arms. Hurt, but being healed by each other.
Thank you so much for reading! I hope you liked it! Please review and tell me how it was or if you saw any mistakes. Also, let me know if you'd want me to write another PLL fanfic. Thanks again and love you!