I'm not a writer, I do not own PLL its characters or circumstances. I'm a fan of Sparia duo.
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A little over two weeks have passed. Spencer barely left her room. She has not seen her friends. She just didn't feel like herself since the break-up. She finished all post-election reports for the campaign and emerge herself into reading. Spencer is starting to consider the idea of going to either medical school or law school after this Charlotte murder drama is over. She thought of getting away from Rosewood as far as possible.
But as of the moment she is seated at the edge of her tub and her heart is racing. Beads of sweat formed in her forehead. She knew this situation too well, the same thing happened before but at least Toby is with her then. Now, if it happens, she has no one.
Her mother tried to understand her situation. And there is a little guilt in Veronica's heart when she saw how devastated Spencer after Caleb left. She wanted to ask if her sending Caleb out of the barn played something in the demise of their relationship. Or what can she do to take her pain away? But the words got in the way. She just let Spencer know that she is there for her.
The five minute alarm on her phone buzzed on. She felt fear wash over her body as she checks the plastic stick that has been sitting beside her.
She looked at it with her shaking hands. Tears fell off her eyes as she closed them.
A gentle knock on the door interrupted her sobbing.
"Spencer, the stylist team is already downstairs for our test look for the inauguration." Melissa told her.
"Yeah, give me two minutes," Spencer replied. She walked up the sink and washed her face. After she carefully, she wrapped the plastic stick with tissue paper and kept it at the bottom drawer of her dresser. Apparently, Melissa doesn't trust her fashion judgment for events like the sworn in day. Her sister has stressed it two nights ago that everything from clothes, to shoes to make up will be done professionally that day. She sighed a relief; she doesn't feel like shopping anyway.
Eight days from now her mother will be sworn to the office. Everything will change from hereon she thought. But there is no other choice but put a brave face and headstrong. She can never let anyone hurt her again, not now.
8888
Spencer took the stage with her sister and her father, the next week. Senator Veronica Hastings are all smiles while cameras are flashing everywhere. The stylist put her hair on a neat bun, she picked a white A line dress with black applique lace design and a black pumps. Everyone went oohh on how pretty Spencer looked and she gave them a shy smile.
She is standing with her mother and she could hear her thanking the people that helped her and those who voted for her for putting trust on her advocacies. She lifted her head, her vision is blurry and she's trying to shake her head. Melissa told her to stop wobbling her head because it's distracting but she can't. Then she slightly lost her balance and she held the edge of the podium for a while. She could hear her father asking her what wrong but she cannot speak. She felt her father caught her when everything turned black in the middle of the stage.
88888
Aria and Emily is at Hanna's kitchen. Last night, Ali gave some documents she found in their attic to Emily and Aria. They are trying to figure out who is AD and it seems like everything is traced back to Radley. After leaving Alison's house Aria's got her car thrashed, tires are slashed and windshield broken. And another chilling text came in her phone.
There's more breaking where it came from, now watch who shall I break next?
"Where is Caleb, I wanted to ask if he can figure out if I need to change phone?" Emily asked Hanna.
The blonde shrugged her shoulders, "he is on his way back, he has to stay in this work thing in DC three weeks ago and then he flew to Cali to see his mom." Hanna said while scrolling down social media account on her phone.
"Are you guys back together?" Aria asked in between sip of her jasmine tea.
"He doesn't call much but I hope sometime soon, I think we should take it slow, he is out of state for the past few weeks and then" she pouted a little, "with Charlotte thing still going on, AD after our asses, Jordan and well there's Spencer," her voice sound trailed sadness when she mentioned the name of her best friend.
"What about Spencer?" Emily asked with her eyebrows knitted together.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd that she has been dodging us for almost a month now," she stood up and head to the fridge to get juice. "I know I've hurt her, not just her, Jordan too and this past few weeks made me realized that I have hurt them, people that loved me." She pressed her lips together, "I tried calling her but she won't pick up," she took a deep breath; "she hates me."
Aria held her friend's hand and gave it a little squeeze, "Hanna, Spencer loves you, and she's not going to hate you, hate you. Maybe she's just busy and well, recuperating about her breakup but she will come around."
The three girls started sorting out the medical records that Emily brought. They laughed on the fact that Ashley Marin will probably scold Hanna for making her kitchen smell musty, old papers. But they were interrupted when Aria got a text from Ella.
What happened to Spencer? I saw it on the news. Is she going to be okay?
Aria with her petite form almost jump on the remote, with her hands shaking. Praying that AD has not done anything to hurt Spencer, her face is flushed. She swore under her breath that if AD hurt Spencer, she will break every bone on AD's body.
The news flash from local channel, State senator daughter blacked out while on stage during inauguration. No one in the Hasting camp has comment on the matter but Spencer Jill, youngest daughter apparently lost consciousness shortly after her mother's speech. Some people who are present at the event said that she is still unconscious by the time an ambulance took her to the nearby hospital. The camp of Senator Hastings has not released a medical bulletin for the youngest Hastings.
There are so engrossed by the news that none of them heard the back door opened, "is that an A thing?" The three girls are startled with Caleb speaking. They never realized he came in the backdoor a few feet away, "is she okay?" his eyes searching for answers that none of them can provide.
"Let's find out and hope for the best," Aria said while gathering all their stuff. All four of them head out and agreed that they will all take Caleb's car.
Aria is restless the whole drive. She keeps asking Caleb if they are taking the long way or is there a shorter distance going to the hospital. She also wanted him to honk on a bicycle. Caleb told her to calm down but the brunette will not let him have it. At some point she said that she should have taken her broken car and maybe they can get there faster, Caleb rolled his eyes.
The four are running in the hospital lobby and asking for Spencer Hastings.
"Are you a relative of the patient?" The nurse inquired.
"No, but we are her best friends." Emily said calmly.
The nurse ran something in her computer. She has this reflex smile on her face but whatever it is that she saw in her screen changed her face. Aria noticed that change in facial expression.
"Miss, what's wrong?" Aria said.
"As of the moment, the patient is under security and any information pertaining to the patient is confidential. Only immediate family is allowed, I'm sorry." The nurse said and some beading of perspiration id forming in her forehead.
"Look Miss, we are Spencer's best friends, if we cannot see her fine but call the senator and she knew us." Hanna said and her voice is slightly raised. She knew this game too well, and Hanna always knows the right people to get into security. She didn't get into most exclusive after parties the past years without learning a trick or two.
The nurse shook her head, "I'm sorry."
Just as frustration is overwhelming, and the fear that something serious could have happened to Spencer, Gil just walked in to get coffee.
"Gil!" Caleb called. The six foot man stops his tracks and look at the former social media manager of the Hastings campaign, "how is she? Is she okay?" Anxiety filled his tone.
"I'm sorry; I cannot discuss Miss Hastings medical condition right now." He felt a little guilty doing this, because he is well aware how Caleb and Spencer are as more than friends and doing the math, he knew that Caleb has a lot to do with it.
"Please, Gil." Aria pleaded with her puppy dog eyes.
So let them have something he thought, "I will let you in something that we will tell the media later, she is stable but she has to do some further testing. She will have to stay here for a while but," he is trading his words carefully. "Let's not make things 'complicated', maybe it is a case of dehydration." He started walking towards the elevator.
No denial, denial. It is ringing on Caleb's ear. Gil knows how to play games like this and there is more to dehydration than what they are letting on. Caleb knew.
"There is something going on here, and I need to find out what it is," Aria said firmly.
They started heading towards the parking lot and none of them said a word. Everyone is tensed.
"We need Mona to help us." Hanna suggested. She could sense that Caleb will protest but he didn't say anything. She started scrolling on her phone and called her.
"Hanna banana what's up?" She is always cheerful.
"Hi Mona, I need your help. We need to break in Saint John Medical Center to get to Spencer." Hanna said while Mona is on speaker phone.
"I thought you'd never ask. Just swing by my place in an hour."
So the plan is set. Mona and Caleb will hack into hospital database, find out what happened to her. So far the only record they can find is stable. No other test indicated or medications that are indicated on her file or as Mona said, maybe under strict compliance. So they need to physically be there to know what is going on. The plan is set, they will pose as nursing aids and if security asks, they can always wear face mask, it's a hospital no one ask questions if you are in uniform, according to Mona. She broke in Radley far too many times to know that after 6pm shift people tend to be a lot less tighter than mornings. So if they have a shot to get to Spencer, this is it.
Mona, got a box with two sets of mint green scrub suits and fake hospital ID. One for Aria and the other for Emily. Caleb, and Mona with Hanna will sit in the car and monitor their movements through CCTV if any Hastings family member or security may show up.
As Aria is putting on the scrub suit, "where do you get all these?"
"I'm smart and I like dressing up in real costumes." She said. Sometimes she still can be creepy or cryptic, and they roll the dice every day. "So on schedule patient at 7pm she will be wheeled to room 307 for checkup a test and it's not indicated for what" Mona stares at the computer. "Best shot is one of you will try to sneak in the elevator or wait for her at 307?"
Emily is impressed that the fake ID is activated. She breezed through the employee's entrance. She tries to act as natural as possible, she has face mask on, contact lens and her hair braided carefully. As she approached the room of Spencer, she is stopped by a man in black suit. She flashed her ID and he let her in the room, the bed is empty.
She is not here.
"Shit!" Caleb said loudly as he read on the text. Mona gave him a side eye and Hanna tried to ignore the snort.
He began toggling CCTV cameras on his computer screen, and Hanna can see that there are at least a hundred on them. How will they find Spencer here? It is a busy medical place.
Come on Spence, where are you? Just be alright, please just be alright, he thought.
Aria is walking towards the room 307. She is stopped by security but let her through when she showed her ID. She saw the name of the room. There must be a mistake. She panics a little as she steps in the room. A green curtain is drawn and she could hear Spencer speaking. She took her phone.
She's here. Update in a while.
The petite brunette draws the curtain and the man in the room is startled, "I'm sorry but can I help you?"
Spencer let out a small smile of seeing Aria there in scrub suit, she is reminded that they have done this a lot of times together. Aria is worried sick about her and it touched her to the core, "no, Dr. Graham, let her stay," Spencer said to the doctor. "She's family." And she extends her hand to Aria which she gladly took.
"Miss Hastings, this is fetus, our crown to rump estimate is about 8 weeks give or take five days." The doctor is pointing to the screen. "And what you are hearing right now the baby's heartbeat, I don't see any signs of distress. We usually start hearing heartbeats at 7 weeks and yours is very strong" The two girls are still holding hands. Spencer is crying upon hearing her baby for the first time. Aria is holding her hand and she understands how special this is for Spence, she let her tears fall too. The doctor continued, "Fetal heart beat is in normal range, not need to worry about anything but I need you to be careful and try not to stress because it will put the baby on distress. The nurse reported a small spotting and that's normal but just to be on the safe side, I will put you on bed rest for a month. I cannot stress this enough but to you but now is not the time to stress or be anxious, it's not just you there's two of you now."
He handed Spencer tissue paper to help clean up the gel on her abdomen. None of the girls recovered from their emotions yet, "so would you want me to get you a print out of the scan?" And Spencer nodded and mouthed a voiceless two to her doctor. Dr. Graham nodded and he went to the other side of the room where the printer if found.
"Aria, I'm sorry for making you worried," she's crying. "You know that I'm a mess right and I can't get this baby be caught in a crossfire between us and A. I don't want to bail but there's this baby that I need to protect now." There are no words to say. Aria held her bestfriend and hugged her as she sat on the examining table. She didn't say anything but the warmth of having Aria near made Spencer believe that she understands.
Finally after a few minutes, "do you have plans of telling him?" Aria asked while she tucked a piece of hair in her ears.
"I don't want to complicate things with Hanna and him, if they will be happy together, I will not stand in the way of that. I've been through a lot and begging for him to stay for the baby is against everything I believe in. Plus if AD knows, it will have a new target to shoot, I can't let that happen."
"But you have to tell him at some point, right?" Aria understands her pride, "it's not just for you but for the baby too, you know that, right?"
"Yes, but I will need to make sure that the baby is safe first and I'm emotionally ready to handle this new normal. Just let me get some time to have the courage to do this. But as of now let's keep this between us, please?" Spencer said sadly.
Just as Dr. Graham gave the girls the print outs, nurses came into the room and wheeled Spencer out. Aria is holding a copy of the print. She is not even sure if what happened earlier today has something to do with AD, but it scared her if it did. Spencer and her baby are practically sitting ducks, like them. And as she looked at the picture of a sac in the middle of the picture, she understands the fear of Spencer and her emotional conundrum. Tears welled into Aria's eyes again and streamed down her face.
They drove up the Brew around 8pm. Settling on the couch, Hanna and Emily went to the barista to get them coffee and sandwiches. Mona decided to go home after their hospital mission since her mother is expecting her for dinner, right now it's just the four of them again.
8888
Aria has not said anything since she got in Caleb's car other than Spencer is okay. The drive back to the Brew is dead silent. Everyone is tensed, Hanna is not talking. Emily barely said a word and Caleb kept glancing at Aria as if waiting for her to say anything but couldn't find the right words to start the conversation.
"She's okay, she seems fine. Found her during physical exam. I think she's clueless about the whole AD thing but the truth is she didn't say anything so that Spencer will not stress over it," Aria said to Caleb while two of her friends are still in the counter. Even before they are not the closest of the bunch, that being said she thought even before they dated, Caleb and Spencer has always been very close, they've always nerd-tech talk every time they can back then. It's just the two of them in the couch that time.
"That's good," he sigh in relief, "but did you tell her about AD messing up again?"
"No, but I can tell she's tensed, scared, I can't even tell the difference. I didn't have the heart to tell her about AD issue, I don't want to stress her even more. Right now, she's got a lot in her plate." Aria chose her words carefully, she cannot let the secret slip.
Caleb felt a dull pain in his heart when Aria said that Spencer is stressed. For a long time, he usually is the first person to know what's going on with her. How many times did he see her through her panic attacks? A handful of times, he would hold her hand until she calms back to sleep and he will spend the night on her couch. But he screwed up, he is not even sure if he is still welcome in her life. Everything changed; he shifted her gaze at Hanna talking on her phone across the room. If everything works out for them, he will have Hanna and the uncertainty of Spencer being alone surprisingly hurt him.
Hanna and Emily went back to the couch with food and coffee. Aria explained to her friends that she did not tell Spencer about the attack and that she is not even sure if AD has something to do with what happened. But Emily pointed out that based on experience, coincidence is almost farfetched.
"Okay, I'm on the phone with Ali and she found a medical record of Bethany being close to one of her co-patients in Radley, other than Charlotte and she referred to her baby sister." Hanna said while pouring creamer on her coffee, "well both of them are close to this 'baby sister' but it seemed like this person triggered something to Bethany, but we don't know anything else."
"So we are looking for a female former patient but did it say who?" Emily asked.
"No, some pages on the transcript of Bethany's session is missing, Charlotte and Bethany has an altercation at some time. Charlotte got hurt and is sent to the infirmary. As a punishment, Bethany is told that she is not allowed to see "baby sister" again. She went aggressive and is sent to isolation. Some pages are torn." Hanna rested her head a Caleb's right shoulder.
"But didn't Charlotte mentioned before that Bethany was left in Radley by her family? So we are ruling out actual family members?" Caleb said his hands now are tightly clasps together.
"We did not find suspicious family member so far. Bethany has not been getting a lot of family visits, Charlotte said before," Emily started unwrapping her sandwich, "it's driving me crazy thinking about these clues, who is trying to frame or hurt us next." She shook her head in resignation to the helpless ordeal.
"I miss Boston, I miss my job, I can't believe that after all this time we are still stuck on this A/Charlotte/AD drama. I want to get off this Charlotte and Radley train and the patient drama and doesn't seem to end." Aria let out her frustrations free.
No one spoke for a few minutes, all of them contemplated their lives before they went back for the hearing. Yes, they are stuck and the more they spent time in town the more Rosewood drama unfolded before their eyes.
Caleb dropped off Emily then Aria. The drive with Hanna is still silent. She sensed that something changed in the air. Didn't he want her back? She brushed it off as maybe he's just tired.
And as pulled over Ashley Marin's drive way, Hanna's hand is on his arms, "you're staying over here tonight, right? She said while her thumb is rubbing on his arms.
"Actually, no, I have some things I need to do." He just doesn't want to talk.
"Caleb, it's past 10pm whatever it is, it can wait in the morning." She said and her voice is lower this time.
"I need to drive alone and clear my head. I'm just tired and coming back to all this AD drains the shit out me sometimes, especially if there are helpless people involve."
"But I missed you, you never even called when you were in DC and if I didn't even saw the tagged picture of what I'm assuming is your officemate, I wouldn't even know you went to New York and flew to California," there is an obvious trace of irritation on her voice.
"It's a work thing and my mom wanted to see me for the weekend. It's not like I went on vacation." He said with full sarcasm on his voice.
"Okay," her voice is resigned, "but can I at least see you at breakfast? I have a meeting with Lucas new business managers at 10am and suppliers and buyers at 1pm, so I don't know I will be busy."
"Yeah we'll see," he said dryly.
Hanna is tired too, she doesn't want to pick up a fight with Caleb and by the rate this conversation is going, it will happen in about two minutes. She gave him a peck on the cheeks and got off the car. She watched him drove off. As she walked in the house, Ashley opened the door and informed her that Lucas assistant left some documents for Hanna to check. Her mother asked about Spencer, and she said that she's stable and is recuperating but some doubts on her head what really happened. As she closed the door of her bedroom, she found the stack of folders in her bed, it's going to be a long night, she thought.
88888
He drove for an hour and contemplated after two bottles of beer at the pub; he pulled over, Caleb took his phone out and pressed the call phone button. His heart is raising.
Ring, ring, ring.
Then he heard her voice, a lump is on his throat now he doesn't even know what to tell her but he wanted to hear it from her that she is okay, "Hi, this is Spencer, I can't come to the phone. Please leave the message after the beep. Gracias." He pressed the red end call from the phone screen.
Apples and Oranges is a cabin styled B&B outskirts of Rosewoods. Caleb thought that he needed a few moments of peace. The cabin is standard, queen sized bed, airconditioning, toilet and bath inside his room. The couple who owned the place pride themselves that they have the best breakfast pancakes in all of PA. He politely smiled, thank them and head to his rented cabin.
He kicked off his shoes, brushed his teeth and let his thoughts wander in the shower, he went to bed and pondering of what happened in DC three weeks ago.
A month ago, he is so sure that he will do anything to get Hanna back. The kidnapping put him on the edge and the fear of her dying made him thought about all the 'what could have been' with her. The possibility of getting back the lost love from years ago filled his head with so much longing. Spencer said he is confused, and it didn't even sink in yet to him then when she tearfully said she cannot work it out then good bye. Maybe there is a chance with Hanna again.
But before he can figure out how he really feels with Hanna on where they will go from thereon, he got called back for work in DC. Hanna is safe, but everything else is blurry.
Old folks said that we see things clearer when the dusts have settled.
Being back in DC reminded him of Spencer at every turn. He remember her favorite coffee and caramel éclair at this café near his apartment and she swore it's the best French pressed coffee in all of DC. The movie house with the cheap nachos, the Bistro and their favorite Friday waterhole seems so empty without her, the jogging path they would run on Sunday mornings.
Caleb Rivers realized his life in this city is breath though by Spencer Hasting.
He missed the guilty giggles when she buys them double scoop of hazelnut and macadamia gelato and she will tell him that calories don't count on weekends. The night before she went back to Rosewood, she's so tensed. He tried to comfort her by coaxing her to see a movie, she said she was cold and he gladly let her take the red hoodie he's wearing. The same red one had since he's twelve. He saw it hanged behind the door when he's about to do laundry and her perfume still faintly lingered on the fabric. And there's their picture together in his bedside table when they decide on impulsive roadtrip to New York to eat on this hyped foodtruck burrito, he cannot believe that she agreed to do that on a dare.
It's almost the end of fall then, NY is cold and they are caught in the busy lights of Time square, she is walking really fast since she said that they might actually see a show on Broadway. He's trailing behind her and she just stopped walking. He wanted to ask what happened. She turned on his direction and gave him the sweetest smile that still melts his heart up to this day, "it's snowing," she said.
Soft white specks from the sky started falling. She closed her eyes and took a long deep breath, and snowflakes got caught in her eyelashes. Caleb became aware how breathtakingly beautiful Spencer Hastings can be, he cannot contain his emotions, he wanted to kiss her but a part of him felt wrong about it but he moved closer to her then gently blew the speck away from her closed eyes, "what was that for?" She opened her eyes.
"Snow got caught in your eyes." But he felt gutted that he still wanted to just take her into his arms and kiss her in the middle of the flickering walls of lights in Time Square.
She latched her arms into his and started walking. He glanced at Spencer he long wavy hair touching her shoulders, and a red scarf that frames her face, her big doe eyes still smiling, he thought that she looked like an angel that night.
He is starting to have doubts on what he really wanted now. He lived in New York for two years with Hanna but going back with Spencer gave new colors on the innate bleakness of the big city.
Please Spencer, just be alright is like a prayer he has been saying over and over again all day; his last thought before he slept. He dreamed about snowflakes in Time Square that night.
88888888
Melissa and her father seemed not to acknowledge the new information that they just got today. They never asked and she's glad they did not. Veronica went back to the event after the gained consciousness and the doctors assured her that she's alright. Senator Hastings promised to be back by dinner and just said one of the most beautiful lines she's ever said to her youngest daughter, "if you need mom to be here, just call me and I will come. No party is too important if Spencer needs mama."
It might be the hormones, she wells up easily but in all honesty she understands now the love that a mother has for her child, she feels that way now, "mom I'll be okay. Go back there, Melissa and Gil is here anyway. It's not everyday you get a thanksgiving party for something as big as winning this election."
The older Hastings kissed her daughter in the forehead, "we will talk when I get back after dinner and we will have security personnel here, just in case some reported will start snooping here."
"I understand mom. Take care, I will see you later."
Melissa and Gil are at the other side of the suite, drafting a press briefing for her medical bulletin. It turned out, her losing consciousness at the sworn in lunch ceremony made it to the news and their lives are subjected to public scrutiny more than ever. She wanted to apologize for causing the commotion but she's not sorry for having her child.
She went back to sleep and woke up half past 6pm when nurses wheeled her in for ultrasound where she saw Aria bypassed her mother's security.
She stared at the bland food of from the hospital after the testing and thought the she's going to be more sick if they will force her to eat that. But immediately she remembered that she's not just eating for her but for her child too and she took a few bites when after three minutes found its way back up to the bathroom sink.
Spencer took the tv remote and started channel surfing. Melissa went back to their house to change clothes and she is alone again the room. She stopped by the UK detective series, she knew this show Caleb and her binge watched this on one of their weekend marathons. And the thought of losing him still hurts.
Two episodes later, Veronica walked in her daughter's suite. She changed clothes, Spencer thought. She's wearing a blue shift dress and a tailored jacket, she's still as beautiful and dignified as ever.
"How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay mom, I wanted to say sorry for ruining this day for you," Spencer said guiltily.
Veronica took Spencer's hand, "you did not ruin anything for me, I'm just glad you two are safe." Spencer felt a lump on her throat that her mother acknowledge her child, "show far along are you?" she asked while sat on her bed.
"Give or take 8 weeks," Spencer said
"Does he know?" It's the same thing Aria asked her, but she withheld information about the possibility that Caleb went back to Hanna.
"No, I don't see that he has to know, mom" she dropped her gaze, "whatever we had is over and it will be a lot easier for everyone to move on."
Veronica did not pressed the issue any longer, "Spencer, whatever it is that you wanted to do, I'm here for you. Even if Caleb will not be part of the family you dreamed about, please think that we are here for you. Your child, has Hastings blood on it and we will love your child so much that I will not let him or her feel that there's something missing because Caleb is not around."
Spencer tears up, "thank you mom. It means a lot. I love you."
Veronica wiped a tear off her eyes too, "well at least I can spoil your child and you will take care of the headaches of being a parent."
Spencer let out a nervous laugh, "mom!"
Veronica stood up and started straightening her dress, "I have to go back to the Radley and if you need anything, call me okay?"
