Chapter Two: All Falls Down

Since permanently leaving Rosewood, Spencer and the rest of her friends had stayed in touch, however sparingly. Visits with one another were infrequent. Occasional texts were sent to check up on one another. Plans were made that never sufficed. They called each other on birthdays and anniversaries and couldn't believe they were old enough to have to keep up with anniversaries and birthdays of babies. Spencer and Emily sometimes talked on the phone, but between coaching the swim team after school and raising two children with Alison, she didn't have much time to play catch up.

Aria and Ezra had married, of course, and Spencer still checked in on them from time to time. They both traveled most of the time, and the last she had heard from them, they were looking into adoption. Aria had lunch with Spencer from time to time in the city if both schedules allowed; however, those had been becoming less and less frequent. Part of Spencer ached for the nostalgia and the familiarity of her childhood friendships. Those girls had been through some real shit together. Things most adults never had to worry about, and even things that half the time weren't even believable. But they had happened. And they had all survived. Spencer knew part of growing up meant to grow apart.

Since being in New York, Hanna and Spencer had spent the most time together - which actually hadn't been much more than any of the other girls. Hanna had made quite a name for herself by working under Marc Jacobs, then running one of his major fashion shows in Paris as creative director, and then being able to begin her own fashion line from that success. They had gotten lunch a few times when Spencer had recesses in court, and they sometimes had drinks.

Toby and Caleb had sparked quite the bromance in New York, and the girls laughed about it all the time. Caleb could usually work from his home office unless he was meeting new clients about security software, so when Toby was free, he and Caleb usually had a beer together. Sometimes the four of them went out. They all laughed about old times - sometimes avoiding certain topics the way old friends do who have been through too much together, heavy stuff, because they didn't want to dredge up those parts of the past. They had moved on from it. All of them couldn't believe how a gang of mixed up kids who had been caught in the web of lies they had endured had come out on the other side and were doing so well for themselves.

That reason alone was enough for Spencer to have so many mixed emotions about current events happening in her life. She and Toby were doing so well. She couldn't bear the thought of breaking his heart and her own in the process. These feelings nearly started tearing her apart. Even with everything Spencer had been through, she never would have known or even guessed that a certain fiesty, outspoken blonde female would make her question everything about herself.

(2 Weeks Earlier)

Spencer leaned back into the cushy, oversized chair of the coffee shop she often frequented after class. She came here so much that she could walk in, wave at Ben behind the counter, then proceed to her favorite spot in the back corner and the eager employee would have her supersize drip with three sugars out to her within 5 minutes. Ben, fresh out of high school, had begged Spencer to go on a date with him until Toby had come in with her one afternoon. Now Ben was more respectful, but he still ran his little coffee-carrying feet off when Spencer was there. Spencer thought it was cute.

She and Toby had fallen into a routine - a rut. She studied all the time, and Toby worked all the time. They had little time for spending time with one another. Spencer didn't know how many nights now that she had gone to bed sexually frustrated and wanting Toby to touch her in any type of way. The last time they had sex, she initiated it, and it was a half-hearted attempt in the shower before Spencer had to be in court. Sighing, she took a sip of her coffee, staring at her law book but not seeing it, because she was reminiscing about Toby's abs glistening under the steady stream of the warm shower. He stepped towards her, licking his lips, and -

"Wow, is that law book something I need to read, Spence?"

Spencer was broken out of her reverie by a voice coming from above a pair of dark Manolo Blahnik heels and tanned legs. She looked up to see Hanna, dressed to the nines in one of her dresses she had designed herself, grinning above her.

"What, Han?" Spencer asked, clearing her throat and trying to shake the reverie, "what are you doing on this side of the city?" She stood up to hug her friend.

"You look like Mr. Grey will see you now." Hanna said, hugging her slightly taller friend.

Spencer cocked an eyebrow as they both sat down.

"Hello? 50 Shades of Grey? You looked like you had been reading girl porn. If law school is that hot, sign me up," Hanna laughed. She pushed her dark sunglasses up from her face and onto the top of her head.

Spencer looked down at her book, shaking her head. "You would have the courtroom assembled into the runway in no time."

"Better believe it! That's actually what I'm here for. I'm wanting to start a line for the professional woman," Hanna said, pointing to her notebook where she kept sketches of dresses, "you know, lawyers, business ladies, nurses, the works."

"Nurses wear scrubs, Hanna."

Hanna's forehead wrinkled, clearly annoyed at Spencer's need to correct every detail. "Okay, the people above nurses, whatever," she shook her head and continued on, "but you're the only lawyer I know."

"Studying to be a lawyer, and-" Spencer was cut off by an exasperated sigh from Hanna.

"Ugh, forget it, Spence. I'm totally kidding about this whole 'professional line' anyway. How boring is that? I can't even try to make a joke with you 'cause you're gonna correct my whole life." She leaned back into the chair, throwing her arms over her chest.

Spencer laughed, reaching over and lightly touching Hanna's knee. She missed the fact that Hanna's eyes flickered up to hers when she felt Spencer's hand on her knee. "I'm sorry, Han. Really. Let me buy a coffee for you since clearly you left your adult self at home and are whiny, baby Hanna today." She pursed her lips at Hanna, making a baby face, and then grinned.

"Hate from a Hastings, how original," Hanna said moodily, but she was smiling.

Ben hurried over with Hanna's order now, beaming brightly at her. He stuttered to her that if she needed anything to let him know. Spencer watched Hanna. She raised her cup up to her lips, kept her head slightly down, but raised her bright blue eyes to him, smiling slightly behind her cup. She didn't speak, but she nodded slightly. Spencer smirked internally, looking at Ben. His face had turned bright red. He might as well have melted into the floor.

"Hanna, don't play with his emotions." Spencer said, drawing out the last syllable of her name. She had watched the cat and mouse game of Hanna flirting with guys for years. Spencer had tried to model herself somewhat after Hanna in that way because Hanna could make the slightest glance look sexy and seductive. At the same time, she was one of the silliest people Spencer knew.

Hanna sighed, leaning back in the chair and crossing one tanned leg over the other. "Why not? I need something to play with," she mumbled.

Spencer studied Hanna's face but she only wore a guarded look. "Everything okay with you and Caleb?"

When they had first moved to New York, Caleb had been a subject that, though not quite awkward to talk about, had been a little strange to broach at first. Both Hanna and Spencer had fallen in love with the same man, slept with the same man, and ultimately Caleb and Hanna hadn't been able to stay away from each other. The girls had treated the whole thing with much more dignity and grace neither one of them figured they had, but they did it. Now the two were able to talk relationships with each other and weren't thinking about how they had both been underneath Caleb's naked physique and it hadn't torn apart their friendship.

"If you call a divorce everything being okay, then sure, everything is totally sauce," Hanna said quietly.

Spencer was stunned for a moment. "Gravy."

"You want gravy in your coffee? Gross," Hanna made a face like that was the most disgusting thing she'd ever heard.

"No, Hanna, not in my-," Spencer said, "gravy is the expression you're looking for. Everything is gravy, not sauce."

Hanna just stared at her friend, a blank look on her face.

"Yeah, I know. I'm sorry. I wasn't sure what to say at first. I'm shocked. Are you joking?" Spencer asked.

"Wow, that's a first. You have nothing to say," Hanna said, rolling her eyes before continuing, "and no, not a joke. We even agreed to counseling. Even the counselor suggested we just move on."

Spencer watched Hanna as she talked. She tapped her cup nervously with a perfectly manicured nail. She noticed a sadness in Hanna's eyes, which was understandable, because of all their relationships, Spencer thought Hanna and Caleb may have the best shot at surviving.

"I'm so sorry, Han," She reached over, grabbing Hanna's hand. Hanna squeezed it back and pursed her lips together, lifting one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug.

"Just goes to show love isn't enough sometimes. We're just not on the same page with anything anymore. Ever since I lost the baby, things haven't been gravy," Hanna said, casting her eyes downward, trying to laugh slightly. She just sounded sad. Now her eyes began to well up with tears.

Spencer couldn't stand to see Hanna cry, especially not over the loss of her child. Hanna had miscarried early in the pregnancy, and the loss had devastated her and Caleb. She squeezed her hand again. "Hey, you guys gave it the best you could. If you went to counseling and tried to communicate and listen to one another, after everything you've been through, then you know you gave it everything you had."

Hanna drew in a deep breath, letting go of Spencer's hand and wiping underneath her eyes before the tears fell. "That's kinda what Toby told Caleb."

"Toby knew?"

Hanna was now the one who studied Spencer's features, and she now the one who wore a guarded look.

"Um, yeah," Hanna said quietly, "Caleb told him after our last and final disaster of stupid counseling."

Spencer nodded, then shrugged. "Well, I-" she was cut off by her phone ringing. "This is the firm, let me take this."

Hanna sipped on her coffee while Spencer talked, not really paying attention.

"All right. Thank you so much," Spencer hung up, smiling.

Though she was sad for Hanna and Caleb divorcing, and the apparent lack of communication between her and Toby that was becoming more evident, she was going to be strong. For herself and for Hanna.

"I've got a free day tomorrow. No court. Wanna go forget about all this for a little while?" Spencer stood up, smoothing out her dress pants.

"Drinks on me first round. Mr. Security Empire King can buy a few," Hanna said, laughter in her voice, and linked arms with Spencer as they headed toward the door.