AN: Sorry that it's been a few days since I last uploaded but I had a migraine so there wasn't much I could do. Sorry if this one isn't exactly up to standards but I hope you enjoy it all the same. -Chloe :-)xx

Chapter 12- You Can't Choose Your Family.

It was nearly a three weeks after the group found out about Melissa's connection with –A. Everyone that was at the lake house with Melissa and Wren were still trying to get their head's around what they had found out.

Spencer was sat on the large double bed at Toby's apartment waiting for him to get out of the shower. After the week they had spent together while Spencer's parents were in the city with her sister; they woke up one morning with a moving van parked outside the Hastings residence. Spencer was now a new addition to Toby's household because both of them knew that Spencer staying in that house wouldn't end well.

"Spencer, are you alright?" She hadn't noticed her boyfriend stood in the bathroom doorway with nothing but a towel wrapped around his waist. She could feel his eyes staring at the top of her head.

"Oh um yeah" She mumbled as she lifted her head up to offer him a small smile. He knew better than anyone that she was trying to cover up for how shocked she still was. "I was just thinking. Hey, how long have you been stood there?"

"Long enough to know that you are lying. Spencer you don't have to pretend that you're okay all the time. You're with me; I've seen you cry before. Being hurt isn't a sign of weakness." He was now sat next to the brunette continuing to pull her into his warmth. "Tell me what you're thinking."

Her big brown eyes were glued to his own baby blue ones. Soon enough there was a single tear falling down her burning red cheek. As she hung her head showing him that she was ashamed of showing him any form of emotion; she was a Hastings which meant she had to be strong, no one could see her like this. Not even Toby. However he made it so easy for her to let all her walls down and to let him in.

"I just can't believe she did it Toby. She knew how scared –A made me and she used that against me just to get revenge." She was trying to wipe away the tears that were falling so rapidly "I guess it could have been worse. She could have really hit me where it hurts."

"What do you mean?" He used the hand that wasn't rubbing protective circles into the small of Spencer's back to lift her head up and stare deep into her mocha eyes.

"You Toby, she could have got you. If I'd have found at that she had even kissed you it would have ruined me. That would have been if she wanted me to kill her though. The bitch knows my weakness. You're my weakness Toby." Her eyes were nearly the same colour of her cheeks as she started to cry even more.

"Spencer she could never get to me. What makes you think I would want her anyway? I already have the most perfect girlfriend I could ever ask for and after going nearly three months without you. I could never do it again." He tore his eyes away from hers to place a gentle kiss on the top of her hair.

"Toby she's a Hastings; we are all the same. We don't give up until we get what we want. She wouldn't give up until I was broken."

"And I'm a Cavanaugh; you know me Spencer. Once I have what I want I won't let anyone take it away from me and that even stands for a Hastings." He smiled at her so sweetly that her heart began to melt.

"I love you so much Toby. Please don't ever let anything get between us?" She let her head fall onto his chest as she tried to get her emotions in check.

"You know I would never let that happen. I need you more than you know." He kissed her temple to prove to his girlfriend that he would never stop loving her. "But right now, we have somewhere to be. Aria will kill us if we're late."

Spencer picked herself up off the bed and began to walk towards to bathroom before turning around and saying "Another Hastings trait is that we are never late" Then hurried off to get into the shower.

About half an hour later they pulled up outside Ezra's apartment block with Aria's brother Mike. When they had all got back from their trip to the lake Aria had run into some trouble at home after she found out that her dad had started seeing Meredith again and that she was going to be moving in. After her mum had moved out and the divorce had come through Aria had known that something like this would happen but she had no idea it would be this soon. After giving her father the ultimatum he so desperately needed she decided that she would make the decision for him and move into Ezra's apartment.

"Do you know what kind of mood she's in?" Mike asked shyly before they all got out of the truck. "I mean, will she hate me for forcing myself in there like this?"

"She'll be pleased to see you and surely you know that she will do everything in her power to make sure that you don't have to stay there." She took the boys hand and stroked it gently to boost his confidence. "Come on, let's go in."

Spencer didn't even need to knock on the door before it was flung open and she was pulled into her tiny best friends arms.

"Thank god you're here!" She looked like she hadn't bothered to get ready this morning although there were streaks of mascara down her face to prove that she had been wearing makeup. "My dad rang about half an hour ago to say that Mike had run away; all of his stuff's gone! He won't answer his phone and I don't know what to do."

"Aria calm down! I'm sure he's perfectly fine; please stop worrying" She held her friend at arm's length and used her thumb to wipe away the black marks under her eyes.

"How can you say that he's fine? No one can get hold of him. I'm going out of my mind."

"Well there was no need to." A new voice spoke up before its owner appeared behind Spencer's shoulder. He was greeted by Aria's hand striking the side of his face as she tried to comprehend what was going on. Subsequently she pulled him into her and hugged him with fresh tears now streaming down her face.

"Well you best all come in; you have some explaining to do" She finally released her little brother from her grip and moved aside to let them all in. Ezra was at the counter making mugs of coffee for all of their visitors. "Sit down; I'll help Ezra bring the drinks over."

About two minutes later they were all sat around the kitchen table listening to Mike explain what had happened.

"I'm so sorry for coming here Aria; I didn't know where else to go. I would have gone to mom but she wasn't answering her phone and she wouldn't understand anyway."

"What do you mean? Why wouldn't mom understand?"

"Because it was about Meredith. You're the only person that knows what she's doing and I'm sorry I didn't believe you at first."

"What the hell has she done to you?"

"After I woke up this morning I went downstairs to talk to dad about sorting things out with you. I hate seeing you two like this and I needed someone to rely on but with you out of the house I couldn't exactly talk to you about it. Anyway, I told him that if he was willing to choose Meredith over you then he obviously didn't have his priorities straight. I said that if nothing was done about it then he would have lost both of his kids and it would be all his fault. Obviously with dad being dad he told me to stop being stupid and it was because I hadn't taken my meds that I was being so ridiculous and stormed out."

"What did she have to do with it then?"

"Well once dad had left for work she came downstairs to make herself breakfast and after hearing everything that I had just said to him about it all she threatened me."

"She- She what?"

"She told me that she would make it easy for me; it was either I told dad that I was fine with all this and with those two getting married or she would go to necessary lengths to remove any obstacles. She picked up my meds and said that it would be easy to make it look like I had gone back into a state of depression the next time dad was away and for me to have over dosed."

"She said she'd kill you? What the fuck? I swear to god if she lays one finger on you I will take the bitch down." The rage that was taking over her body was visible to everyone in the room. "What do you want me to do? Are you going back?"

"I don't want to. That's why I came here. I get that you have no room but I need somewhere to go and I have no money. I can't go back in there Aria; what will she do to me?" No one had ever see Mike cry before but they could see he was desperate.

Spencer looked at Toby with her eyes as wide as they could go and she knew exactly what she was suggesting; he nodded her head in approval.

"Ahem." The other three that were trying to figure out arrangements for where Mike could go looked up at Spencer and Toby who had stood up from their seats.

"You can come stay with us; at Toby's house" Spencer smiled weakly at Mike who looked completely shocked.

"A-are you sure? I mean Ezra said that he was thinking of getting a new place since Aria had moved in" Ezra looked at Mike completely shocked; it was the first time he had ever referred to him by his first name. He usually just called him Mr Fitz or avoided saying his name all together.

"Well we're not guaranteeing it will be comfortable but I have a sofa bed you can crash on. I mean I would have let you take my bed but considering that I'm in the same position as Ezra I need to make sure that Spencer's comfortable first." Mike nodded at him in appreciation.

"I get that man; you don't get how much this would mean to me"

"I swear Spence, he will only be there until we can get a place big enough. I'll get a job and so will Mike. He can pay you for food and anything else so it won't be him just sponging off you." Mike nodded vigorously.

"I'll even clean the apartment on a weekly basis. I don't want you both to think that it's just free living for me."

"Well it's sorted; I'll drive you over to your dad's so you can pick up your stuff. I don't want Aria going because I'm scared of what she might do" Ezra stood up and went to get his car keys.

"Hey, I'll come too. You could probably do with an extra pair of hands and the truck will be better for your stuff."

Spencer and Aria were now sat on the sofa trying to comprehend what was happening.

"Aria you never actually told me why it was so important that you moved out? You said something about making your dads decision easier but surely you knew he would choose you?"

"Um yeah, I never told you the other part..." She looked at her hands that were clasped tightly in her lap. "She threatened me too"

"What? What did she say?"

"She said that if I didn't make this easy for my dad then she would tell the police about our 'inappropriate relationship'. I couldn't let her do that so I guess I just let her win."

"What about now? She's threatening Mike too. You have to do something Aria; she can't get away with this! Your dad is losing everything that is important to him because she's a phsyco bitch!"

"I know, I know that better than anyone but Ezra and Mike are two of the most important people in my life at the moment and you know that if she told the police he would go to jail and I can't have that. This isn't a game to her; she would kill anyone that tries to get in her way."

Ezra, Toby and Mike had arrived at the Montgomery house. Ezra was the first one to get to the front door. After knocking violently trying to get whoever was in the house's attention. Meredith flung the door open with a sly smile plastering her face.

"Well well, the prodigal son returns. I guess you told your sister and her pathetic little friends what I said to you then. I think you all ought to know that if you ruin this for me I will make all of your lives hell."

"Oh, I don't think that's possible. We're already in hell as it is." Toby was the first one to speak to the blonde that occupied the doorway. "Now if you'll excuse us we're here to get Mike's stuff. He's moving in with me and my girlfriend for a while."

The three men pushed past her small body so that they were stood in front of her.

"Oh and by the way; this isn't over. We know things that could make even your filthy skin crawl." Ezra's face was only inches away from his opponent's. "You never knew who you were playing with but now the game is on."