OMG GUYS.
You all are awesome. I woke up to so many reviews and it made me so happy! You all are so great, I dedicate this chapter to my faithful reviewers.

So happy that Toby is back on PLL!
I want more of him.

You all interested in hearing about the story I am thinking about posting after this?

Chapter 10 awaits.

It still looked the same.

The sign was still only half illuminated, the paint faded, it was as though the Edgewood Motor Court stood still in time, and perhaps that was why she chose it.

It was a special place for her and Toby. It was where they first really connected, where they innocently slept together for the first time, where they had their first kiss, among other things that happened later in their relationship.

The rumble of an old engine caught her attention and she looked to find Toby pulling in to the motel parking lot to meet her.

She figured it was time they talked and she couldn't think of a better, more private place than the Motor Court. Her apartment or the loft would be too awkward, and she didn't want it to be entirely public either.

Yeah, the Motor Court was the perfect place for this.

Was it something to worry about? That it was their third tutoring session and Toby invited her to a motel to do it?

Probably.

But she still went. He had called earlier, told her not to go to his house as planned and to meet at the Motor Court instead. He said he would explain when she got there and it sounded like he was in the middle of something, so she'd just agreed. Besides, she wasn't going to cancel the session; this was her escape from Hastings hell. And he didn't seem the type to murder her in a seedy motel room, regardless of the rumors swirling around in town and school.

When she pulled up he was waiting outside of the motel room, the door behind him half open.

"I am so sorry," he instantly apologized as he came to open the car door for her. "My parents are out of town and Jenna and I... we aren't exactly the Brady Bunch so I just took myself out of the equation. And I didn't want to cancel on you because I know how busy you are and how you'd probably have to move a bunch of stuff around to reschedule, so-"

"Toby, its fine," she cut him off while he closed the door behind her and motioned her to follow him. "I actually appreciate you not canceling; I needed to get out of my house too. Don't worry about it," she assured him.

"You're not the Brady Bunch either?" he questioned, sitting on the bed.

Spencer shook her head and sat next to him. "No. My sister is home with her boyfriend Ian. You might remember him from school, he was two years older than us," she mumbled. "And he- well, it's um," she struggled to form the words.

"You don't have to tell me anything, Spence, but if anyone knows fucked up family's it's me," he told her in a low, soothing tone.

"Thanks," she whispered and forced half a smile.

"So, French," Toby started a few moments later, handing her his latest homework failure.

She looked down at the paper, appreciative that he didn't make her talk, but made her feel comfortable at the same time. That meant a lot to her.

When she was assigned to tutor Toby by their French teacher she was hesitant. It wasn't about the rumors at school, she didn't listen to those. It was that he seemed guarded; he didn't talk to anyone, and didn't look like he wanted anyone to ever even look at him. But she'd accepted and it had been awkward at first, then he'd come out of his shell and she found he was really easy to talk to. Now she looked forward to tutoring him, they had fun together.

"Remember, if I win we are going to play the next round in French," Spencer reminded him hours later.

They'd studied... for a little bit. Then they got hungry and ordered pizza and he pulled Scrabble out of his bag and asked her to play. It was one of her favorite games so she'd quickly agreed. He admitted that he brought it in case things went well and said he liked spending time with her.

"GLYCERALDEHYDE?" Toby read, laughing a little bit as he did.Spencer smiled widely and calculated her points to 96 as he played his own hand. "Thanks for the G, I was waiting for it," he stated a moment later.

Spencer looked down at his word. GOOFBALL. "I, um- well, with your-" she frowned as she calculated his score too. "104, good for you."

"I don't think we are going to be playing in French, but I do like this game," he confessed with a grin.

"Right," she mumbled.

"It's not always about winning and losing, Spence, sometimes just have fun playing the game," he told her and offered her one of his rare smiles.

She shrugged. "That isn't how the House of Hastings plays," she replied, eyeing the board's new developments.

"Well, that is how we are going to play," he replied, ripping the score sheet from her hands.

"Toby!" she exclaimed, reaching for the tablet. "C'mon, I wanna see who wins," she whined. She looked him in the eye and realized how close they were and that her hand was on his thigh as she reached for the pad.

"We're not playing in French, we both know it. Let's just play and see what words we come up with," he told her sternly. A frown appeared on her mouth. "It'll be fun, I promise, and if you don't complain we can get right back to French, okay?" he compromised.

Spencer pulled away. "Yeah, okay," she murmured just as her phone went off.

"You can get that," he spoke up, nodding at the device.

She shook her head and silenced it. "No, it's just Melissa. I don't- we don't get along and I really don't want to deal," she admitted a bit more awkwardly than intended.

"I get it. I mean, that's why I'm here," he reminded her. "But you guys probably don't get along for different reasons," he added on with a sigh. "But either way you don't have have to talk about it. We can keep playing." He stopped when her phone went off again. "It sounds like she really wants to get a hold of you though."

Spencer nodded and ignored it once more. "It's- she's- everyone says we're alike and I hate it," she told him. "That isn't the reason we're fighting, but- I still don't like it." She didn't know why she told him that, it just seemed to slip out.

Toby nodded too. "I'm not like my dad and I'm proud of that. It was my mom who I was close with," he confessed.

Spencer reached for his hand. "I'm sorry about your mom. I don't think I ever said that to you."

"Thank you," he responded softly. "No one really has, actually, besides my teachers. Most of the kids look at me like it was my fault or something so they avoid me."

"That's horrible. I never thought that. I just knew you liked to be left alone so I... left you alone," she mumbled with a shrug.

"I do. Like to be left alone, I mean. I'm not a people person. That's why it surprised me when I actually liked you," he laughed, his smile reaching his eyes. It made them shine and his entire being seemed lighter.

Spencer smiled too. "Thanks, I like you too," she agreed.

This time her phone pinged in a text message. It was Melissa again.

"Are you guys in a fight or something?" he asked and turned his hand around underneath hers to link their fingers together.

Spencer blinked. "Kind of," she said, barely audible.

"I don't mean to pry," he insisted. "Really. I just... understand fucked up sisters, I guess."

She shook her head. "No, you're fine," she assured him. "Her boyfriend, Ian," she began a moment later. "He... kissed me over the summer and I didn't want it," she finally got out, finding it hard to say the words. "One minute he is helping me with field hockey, the next he's kissing me and I pushed him away, but," she stopped again.

"Did she find out?" Toby questioned quietly.

She nodded. "He told her that I came on to him and we got into this huge fight at the end of summer. Now she's back visiting and making me miserable. Every time I say one wrong thing she threatens to tell our parents I tried to seduce him or something."

He squeezed her hand. "That's horrible, I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault, don't say that," she told him.

"Well, you're welcome to stay the night if you want. You shouldn't have to spend the night in a house where you're afraid or uncomfortable. You can tell your parents you're with one of your friends," he offered. "We can play more Scrabble, even in French if it makes you feel better," he insisted and she laughed. "Order some pizza, I don't know, raid the vending machines or something."

"I think that sounds... fun or something," she said with a smile on her face. "Thanks."

Toby stood and let her hand go. "So, top or bottom?" he questioned, holding up his pajamas. Her eyes widened. "I'm just kidding, Spence," he laughed and tossed her his long-sleeved sleep shirt. "I'm gonna get changed."

He went into the bathroom with the folding doors, but couldn't get them quite closed and didn't seem to mind. As she reloaded her tile pieces she couldn't help but look up at him to find his shirt off and a six pack splashed across his chest.

Her eyes widened in a whole different way. She wasn't not expecting that. He looked fit, but damn. She also noticed a tattoo she couldn't make out and quickly looked back down before he noticed her staring. It was going to be a long night, but hopefully in a good way.

"Hi," Toby greeted while shoving his hands into his pockets. It was hard to resist the urge to touch her. Keeping his hands confined seemed like the best solution.

Spencer nodded curtly in return. "I just want to let you know that I only wanted to meet you here. We're not going to go inside or anything, that isn't what I asked you here for."

"Its fine, Spence, I figured that," he said with a nod. "I'm just glad you called," he admitted.

"It's been almost two weeks, I thought we should talk," she responded. "I know you called Hanna when you left after- I just wanted to say thank you."

Toby shook his head. "Not necessary. I wish I could have done more. My plans for coming back haven't changed, Spencer, I was just trying to give you time. I need you to know that," he told her.

"Toby, I- I don't know where we stand," she started honestly, trying her best to stay calm and not get worked up. It took everything in her to not call this off. It had to be done and done now. "But I do know I am done with my family, all of them, I thought you should know that. I went to my dad the day after and confronted him. He didn't say sorry. He still thinks he is right. It wasn't me he was trying to protect, it was the Hastings name, and that is what makes it so much worse."

"And your mom? Did she know?" he asked, looking into her eyes.

"No," Spencer answered. "But she called a few days later. Said my dad was just trying to do what he thought was best. She is standing by him and I don't know if I can forgive that either," she explained. "I wasn't seventeen when they did this; I wasn't some teenager in love and trying to run away with you. We were in our twenties, we had made a life together and-" she stopped. She couldn't get worked up. She had more to say.

Toby stepped closer. "Spence-"

"Please don't," she whispered, wiping her face. "What we had was real; it wasn't just hormones, and the fact they tried to reduce it to that really hurts."

He just nodded in response with his hands in fists in his pockets.

"My whole life my parents have forced me into things, sports, clubs, extra curriculars, whatever it took to make me look good on paper," Spencer began when she managed to control herself again. "They always thought they knew what was best for me, when in most cases they never did because they didn't know me. And being with you is the best thing that ever happened to me. You made me look good in real life too, if that makes sense. You made me have fun and cut class and be spontaneous and I will be forever grateful for that."

Toby shook his head. "No, I am not letting you do this," he spoke up. His hand found its way into his hair on it's on volition as he angrily pulled at it. He couldn't let her do this, it wasn't an option.

"You don't even know what I'm going to say," she responded.

"I know it sounds like you're thanking me for just being a chapter in your life. That is not what I am, Spencer, and I am not going to let you finish me off like that," he stated.

"At least I would be giving you a goodbye!" she exclaimed, her voice cracking.

"It wasn't like that, I thought-"

"I know what you thought and it wasn't right!" she cut him off. "You of all people should have known that my parents do not know who I really am. They couldn't tell you when I stopped believing in Santa Clause, what really happened when I broke my middle finger in second grade, or what the name was of the outdoor cat I adopted without them knowing when I was eleven-"

"Simon. You named the cat Simon," Toby broke in. "Then Melissa found out and told your parents so they had him taken to the animal shelter," he explained. "You cried for a week."

Spencer nodded with tears in her eyes.

He stepped closer. "And you broke your finger in second grade by punching Noel Kahn in the nose, or at least trying to, for calling Hanna fat," he went on. "Something he won't admit to, probably even today, even if his nose does curve a little to the left." He was right in front of her now, his hands resting on her waist. "And you stopped believing in Santa Clause when you were nine because personally delivered a letter to the post office addressed to him asking for only one thing that year. You didn't let anyone read it because you were ashamed of what you wanted. And when you didn't get it you knew he wasn't real."

"Toby, don't do th-" she was full-on crying now, but Toby shook his head and cupped her face.

"The one thing you wanted was to be closer with your sister and for your parents to stop comparing you to her," he finished and brushed the tears rushing down her face. "But when you woke up and found that they had already given Melissa her surprise trip to Washington DC, one of the presents she was begging for, you knew he wasn't real. Especially when they said you should want more practical gifts like her, ones that would be beneficial to your future, even if you were only nine."

Spencer sniffled, looking him in the eye and nodded.

"I know you, Spencer, I love you, and I am not going to let you close the book on me," he murmured, brushing their noses together. "I tried that two years ago for what I thought was all the right reasons, but it wasn't."

"No, it wasn't," she agreed, grabbing onto his middle. "You weren't any better than them by thinking you knew what was best for me without asking me what I wanted."

"I underestimated you, I know that, and I never will do that again," he promised.

"You underestimated us, Toby, and that hurts more," she replied with her voice low.

He nodded. "I know and I am sorry for that," he apologized. "And I am never going to do it again, that is why I will never give up now. Whether you can admit it or accept it we still love each other as much as we did then and I am trusting in us this time. I am trusting that even though what I did was horrible and broke you that we can somehow get past it because we make each other happier than anyone else can."

"Toby," Spencer whispered and finally broke from his hold. "I came here today to tell you that I don't know where we stand because not only did you act like my parents by making decisions about me without me, you also took money from my father to do it."

"Spencer, it was never about the money," he insisted, his voice sounding pleading.

"But you still took it and you still left and it took you two years to come back," she reminded him. "I don't know how to go about handling that."

"I don't know either, but we can do it, right? We can get past it, we love each other-"

"We could have gotten past my dad's threats because we loved each other, but you didn't believe that, did you?" she countered, tears still running down her face. "So I came to give you this," she whispered, handing him the velvet box tucked into her jacket.

Toby took the ring box, not having to look inside to know what it was. His grandmother's engagement ring, Spencer's engagement ring, she was giving it back to him. "Spencer, I don't want this. I still want to make good on all those promises I made when I proposed," he croaked.

"And on that day I think I fell in love with you all over again," she admitted with a smile brightening her face. "When you made me a chicken salad sandwich and metaphorically asked me to run away with you, to leave my family and join yours," she continued while nodding. "That meant so much to me because I would finally have a family that loved me for who I was, for all that I was, and would never turn their back on me because above all that person was you. But you turned you back on me too, Toby."

"Spencer, no, I thought you would turn your back on me. I was wrong, I know that, but the one person I could never have walk away from me was you. It would have killed me. It still will and I am here now. I know it took two years but I am here and I am not going anywhere," he frantically promised once more.

She nodded and took one of his hands in both of hers, unable to watch him in pain without doing something to comfort him. Seeing him hurting was one of her greatest weaknesses. He was so kind that hurting him should have been a crime, even if it was her doing it.

"When I believe that I know it will change things for me. But right now I don't know what to believe," she whispered. "I don't know what to believe will happen in the future. I am still trying to come to terms with what happened in the past."

Toby visibly swallowed and nodded before wiggling his hand out of her grip. "I get it."

"I need more time to figure things out," Spencer repeated.

"But you still don't know if you want..." he couldn't say the words only for her to say no to him.

"I need time, Toby," she said again.

"I'm still not giving up, even if you don't want," he stated defiantly, yet still unable to say it out loud. "I told you I am going to fight for you and I am. But if you need time I will give it to you."

For some reason she smiled. "I wouldn't expect any less from you, Toby Cavanaugh."

"Good. That means you're expecting things out of me at all," he replied, one of his famous grins on his face. "I'm not going to let you down again, Spencer, I refuse to."

She shook her head and turned to get into her car. Only he could make her smile right then. There was just something about that boy and that motel.

"Thanks for letting me stay the night," Spencer said the next afternoon as they stood out by her car.

It had been just a little awkward getting into bed with Toby. He said he would stay on the floor, but she said it wasn't needed. She was sure they could both just sleep in a bed with nothing bad happening.

And nothing did. Except for accidental cuddling. She woke more than once in the middle of the night, as she often did in places that weren't her home, to find herself draped over his chest with his arms around her. Then in the morning she found her being a big spoon to his little. She'd managed to untangle herself just before he woke up.

They dressed, but she stayed in his shirt, and went to the diner across the street for breakfast before she decided it was time to face Melissa again.

Toby nodded. "If it gets too uncomfortable at home I'm here for one more night, you can always come back," he offered.

"I might actually take you up on that," she murmured. "I had a lot of fun. I don't know if raiding vending machines or watching blurry, shitty TV will be as fun with anyone else."

He grinned. "To be honest it was really fun to kick your ass at Scrabble too," he teased.

Spencer couldn't help but smile and then blushed under his gaze. His blue eyes had an interesting effect on her. They could be so intense sometimes, like his eyes really were the window into his soul. At least, if it was true for anyone it was for him.

A silent moment later he closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to hers. At first he was hesitant and so was she. It was brief, that first kiss, as if he didn't know if she felt the same but she quickly connected their lips again as if to let him know it was okay. This was a kiss she wanted, unlike Ian's.

He pulled away a few moments later, but kept their foreheads touching and his arms around her.

"I was not expecting that," she breathed, a faint smile on her lips.

"Me neither," he agreed with a matching smile and finally pulled away.

Their hands detached as he walked away. "Hey, it was not a complete ass-kicking by the way," she called after him defiantly. "We weren't even keeping score by the end."

He turned around and laughed. "Goodbye, Spencer."

-:-:-:-

"You're hardly eating any of your pasta, are you feeling okay?" Hanna questioned a few days later.

Spencer nodded earnestly as she continued to move the noodles around on her plate. "Yeah, I'm fine," she assured her friend. "Thanks for inviting me over," she added with a smile.

"Well you've been really depressing lately, so I thought if anyone needs the best Italian food in town it was you," she replied sounding more chipper than ever.

"Thanks, Han," Spencer laughed before taking a bite of her lunch.

"Sorry, but you have been! I just thought your favorite food and some girl time-"

"Oh, thanks," Caleb spoke up from his place on the couch behind them where he was set up playing video games and eating.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Might make you feel better."

"I'm fine, Hanna, really," Spencer insisted and forced another smile.

"Are you ready to talk about your meet up with Toby the other day?" Hanna asked, twirling her Alfredo noodles on her fork.

"You met up with Toby the other day?" Caleb broke in again, but this time his mouth was full.

Hanna turned. "Are you just going to listen to everything we say?"

"Uh, yeah," Caleb answered like it was a dumb question. "You met up with Toby? What happened?" he asked Spencer.

"Don't you two talk? You're supposed to be best friends," Hanna said before Spencer could speak.

Caleb stood and went for the kitchen. "We are, but we're not girls. We don't share everything."

"Please, have you met Toby? He's more of a girl than Spencer is," Hanna replied.

"Hey!" Spencer muttered with her bottom lip out.

Hanna laughed. "Sorry, but I recall Toby crying during The Notebook and not you," she reminded her.

"Hey, if it said something flew into his eye, then something flew into his eye," Caleb called out while his head was in the fridge.

Hanna huffed this time. "Hey, this is an A and B conversation, you can C your way out of it," she stated.

Caleb went back to the couch with his drink refilled without a word. Hanna seemed satisfied.

"I'm fine since seeing Toby, by the way," Spencer finally answered. Both Hanna and Caleb turned to look at her. "It was hard, but good," she confirmed while nodding.

Caleb went back to his video games and Hanna turned to face her again.

"He's not pressuring you to make a decision, is he?" Hanna wondered.

Spencer shook her head. "No. Never. He was sweet and kind and," she stopped. "Toby. He was Toby."

"That's good though, I mean, after everything," Hanna commented.

She smiled. "I feel like no matter how upset I am with him or how hard the conversation we're having we always end up... close, you know?" she began. "One minute I'm crying about how hurt I am, the next he's holding me and I'm crying because it feels so good and I miss it so much." She bit her lip. "It's all just so hard, but when he touches me," she stopped. "It's like I don't care, but then I remember."

"It's gotta be hard, I can't resist that idiot and look at him," Hanna agreed, nodding towards Caleb. He was slurping noodles and furiously hitting buttons on his controller.

Spencer chuckled. "Yeah. Love kinda sucks," she stated sadly.

"You can do this, girl," Hanna assured her. "You're strong and determined and got a good head on your shoulders. You'll sort through all the shit and be happy with whatever you choose," she added on confidently.

"Thanks," Spencer said with a smile. "In a twisted way I can kind of understand why he left, what is really killing me is that he took that money from my dad," she mentioned a moment later. "That wasn't for my well-being that was just him being bought off."

"Yeah, that sucks," her blonde friend agreed. "It's hard to believe that Toby of all people would just take money like that. He liked living the simple life, you know," she commented.

"I guess Peter Hastings just knows everyone's price," Spencer sighed.

Caleb snorted as he walked by with his empty dish.

"What does that mean?" she demanded, turning on her friend. "That noise you just made, that wasn't coincidental, that was accidental."

Caleb turned around, surprised. "Huh?"

"We were talking about Toby taking money from my dad and you definitely made a noise that insisted I didn't know the whole story. What does that mean?" she questioned authoritatively.

"Watch out, babe, her lawyer is showing," Hanna commented from behind her.

He looked like a deer caught in headlights. "I didn't do anything, I was thinking about my game," he insisted.

She narrowed her eyes. "No, you weren't. You know something about Toby and the money he took from my dad, so tell me," she ordered.

He brushed past her on his way back to the couch. "Sorry, but it's not my business to tell."

"Well it's my business to know!" she exclaimed and went to stand in front of him.

Caleb sighed at her blocking of the TV. "Spencer-"

"It was my dad's money, my ex fiancée's choice, I deserve to know what happened when my future is hanging in the balance because of it all," she stated, her eyes honing in on his. "I need the facts, Caleb."

He let out a long breath. "He obviously doesn't want you to know if you don't already."

"This is Toby we're talking about," Spencer replied. "He could have a serious wound and not tell you if he thought it would freak you out, and then apologize for getting blood on your shirt," she insisted.

"Didn't that actually happen?" Hanna asked from the table.

They both ignored her.

"Look, Spencer, Toby did take the money from your dad," Caleb started. She nodded, urging him along. "He did use it to pay for school, but that's it. When his grandfather he died he got everything the old man had, which was a pretty nice number and the house, which he sold and got profit from," he went on.

"What are you saying, Caleb?" she questioned.

Caleb looked up at her. "When he came back he gave the money back to your dad, all of it, the whole hundred grand."

Her eyes widened. "What? When?"

"That first day you walked in on him in here. He had just left your dad's office and came here to talk to Hanna. Not about that, of course, but," he stopped there.

She ran a hand through her hair. "So you're saying he took the money, went to school with it, and then gave it all back?"

Caleb nodded. "Yeah. He said it wasn't right keeping it, that he didn't even know why he really took it in the first place. And it's not like he is hurting right now, he's got a nice job, money from his grandpa, from the house selling," he listed off. "He didn't want anything from your parents; he didn't want anything hanging over his head or whatever."

"So my dad knew he was back in town before I did? He knew he gave the money back and- fuck," Spencer couldn't help but laugh. Just another thing to kick her father out of her life for. "I have to go," she said a moment later, going to the door and grabbed her purse. "Do you know where Toby is?" she asked before she walked out of the door.

Caleb looked at the clock. "Uh, a job site I think? Try Sweeney's home office, they will know an exact address," he answered.

Spencer nodded and walked out the door. She had to find Toby. How could he not tell her he gave the money back?

It didn't change everything, but it changed a lot of things.

Like?

More Spoby in the next chap, promise! LOTS of Spoby in the next.

Review and tell me what you think! I LOVE feedback, it helps me write more.

- Kay