AN: Thank you ALL so much for all of your support and patience with my awful uploading schedule. Hoping this chapter is the one that sends this story to 200+ reviews... :) Very excited to share the next few chapters with you all.

"I slept like a baby last night," Toby yawned as he sipped his coffee. "Yet I'm still tired,"

Spencer stirred her coffee after adding in some milk. "I know…this weekend was a long one." She became slightly flushed, knowing it was her fault but also feeling like the weekend had turned quickly from their worst to their best.

"Breakfast was a good idea though, totally worth getting up early for." He grinned as the waitress set a plate of eggs, bacon and home fries in front of him and french toast in front of her.

"Thank goodness for review week," she smiled. This week was a filler week between the end of the curriculum being taught and final exams, end of year festivities and finally graduation. "It should be a fairly breezy week."

"Yup," he said folding a piece of bacon and popping the entire piece in his mouth, causing the sides of her mouth to turn up amusingly. "And then off to USC I go" he grinned. "I got an email from the guy who's housing me for the weekend. His name's Keenan… kind of a weird name, right? But he seems chill."

Spencer doused her french toast in syrup and put a piece into her mouth, letting the fork linger at her lips as she sucked off the excess syrup. She tried to not look like she was thinking too hard about it. Truth was, she'd been planning to spend as much time away from home as possible after Wren had attacked her, and now she still didn't feel safe enough anywhere but in his company yet. She wasn't prepared for him to leave for a weekend.

To Spencer's delight, Toby didn't seem to notice her slightly anxious demeanor. He was too busy watching her dip each piece of her already syrup-soaked breakfast into the pools of syrup on her plate, and licking her fork clean of the sticky topping.

"Got enough french toast to eat with your syrup there?" He laughed.

"What?" She said after a minute, too busy zoning out trying to figure out what she should do for plans to hear his remark.

"Let me get this straight — you think my coffee is too sweet with three sugars in it but you're practically eating an entire bottle of syrup for breakfast."

She turned pink and smiled. "First of all, you definitely use more than three sugars, and you get sweetened flavor shots added to it before you add the sugar, so it's already sweet! And second, it's not a whole bottle. You're supposed to put syrup on french toast!"

"Spencer, the last bite you took was the whipped cream garnish dipped in syrup. You dipped whipped cream into maple syrup. That's like sickeningly sweet." He teased, laughing.

"Whatever," she smirked, sucking her fork once more. Syrup was one of her favorite things on the planet, and breakfast food was definitely her weakness. She was pretty good at eating fairly healthily, but she could live happily never eating a vegetable or salad or even the junk she liked like pizza or nachos ever again if it meant every meal might be breakfast foods, particularly the kind you would drizzle (or drown) in the sticky sweet substance she was sucking off her fork.

"I guess you do have a sweet tooth. And here I was thinking you were so sophisticated in your palette, scoffing at my flavored coffees and bubble gum habit…" he teased.

"You caught me," she said sweetly. "It's honestly mostly just syrup…I'm not big on cake or anything. You know I like brownies though." She smiled big, remembering the time they'd destroyed the kitchen baking together.

"I never liked syrup much, too sticky," he said as she stuck her sticky fork onto his plate to steal a bite of home fries.

"You're crazy," she said taking her last bite and sipping her coffee, "But I already knew that," she teased as the waitress came over with the check and Spencer eagerly handed over her credit card, refusing to let Toby even think about paying for anything else.

"You shouldn't have done that," he twisted his face. "It was my treat."

"It's always your treat," she said sliding her card back into her wallet and signing the receipt, politely thanking the waitress and taking her last sip of coffee before walking with Toby out the door and to his truck so they could head to school.

"Well thank you," he put his hands on her hips and went to kiss her, but she backed away.

"Wouldn't want you to get too sticky with my syrupy lips," she teased, denying him a kiss playfully as he playfully went after her in the parking lot as she screeched, laughing hysterically.

"I think you could change my mind about it," he shrugged, "now get over here," he ordered playfully, tugging her by the backpack and grabbing hold of her hips, pinning her to his truck as he leaned down to place a single kiss on her sweet, sticky lips.

But when he flickered his eyes open just before their lips met, he noticed she wasn't smiling or laughing anymore, she looked helpless, a little anxious, a little too tense.

He suddenly and immediately let go of her and stepped backward. "Spence, I was just kidding around…"

"No, I know." she shakily managed, taken aback by her own reaction. Wren had put more fear in her than she'd even realized herself. "Sorry" she shook her head, seemingly dazed. She stepped forward and gave him a light kiss, still in a daze, before walking around the truck and slumping into the seat.

He joined her in the driver's seat and turned to her. "Whatever you need me to do about this…" he reached to interlock their fingers but paused, afraid to even touch her.

She didn't miss his flinch. Which was exactly what she didn't want. "Don't do that," she interlocked her fingers as she quietly spoke. "I'm just still a little nervous to be home, that's all. I think you knocked sense into him though, and it's not like he really did anything to me," she trailed off, knowing it could have been worse.

"You remember where I showed you our spare key is, right? Use it whenever you need. Seriously. You don't even have to call first. Whenever you don't feel safe, just make yourself at home…" he offered, scanning her face for a response; an indication that she was feeling better and safer than a moment before. "Did you maybe tell your family about what happened? Maybe just think about it….?"

She shook her head no, disappointingly. She knew it would make it worse, and no one would believe her. It wasn't worthwhile. "Thank you," she squeezed his hand.

He leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "Come on, we're going to be late for math review," he said putting the truck into gear.

"Like you really need it," she smirked, teasing about her tutoring skills but also so honestly proud of the progress he'd made that year.

xx

"Jesus Christ, you scared the heck out of me," Mr. Cavanaugh held his chest as he leaned back towards the counter, taking a deep breath. Spencer had made herself at home that afternoon in Toby's room using the spare key as he'd promised she could, and had come up the stairs to get something from her car. When she'd opened the door from the basement, Mr. Cavanaugh freaked out, understandably so as he'd dropped his son off at the airport earlier that afternoon and there was his door opening.

"I'm so sorry!" Spencer said loudly, startled herself by his loud reaction.

"Toby left for his orientation, you know that, right?" He said, still trying to regain his composure.

"I know," she said shyly. "Did he not tell you that he showed me the extra key? He said I could use his room to, uh, to study since finals are coming up and it's a little hard to concentrate at home since my sister moved home, and the library's packed this week…"

"No, uh, he didn't—" he was cut off by Spencer, who he felt was a bit suspicious right now. She really just didn't want to discuss what made her so uncomfortable to be anywhere but wrapped up in her boyfriend's bed while she studied, even if he wasn't coming home.

"I can go….I'm sorry. I knew I should have called or something…" she reprimanded herself. "I'll get out of your way…I'm just going to get my backpack." She said quietly as she raced down the stairs to Toby's room before he could get a word in edgewise, and quickly darting for the back door as she returned upstairs, trying to move as swiftly as possible.

"Spencer…Spencer, it's fine" he chuckled, leaning against the door to keep it shut. "Stay as long as you need to get your work done… You're welcome here."

Spencer took a deep breath and finally looked at Toby's father in the eyes. He had the same kind eyes as Toby. The brightest of blues that she now equated with happiness and happiness alone. She examined him to see the softness in him, making sure it really was okay to stay. Normally she'd have left anyway, insisting that she was in the way. Because she had learned through her lived experiences that she typically was, and she preferred to recognize it herself and remedy situations before they arose rather than being singled out as the thing that needed to be removed like an annoying skin tag a dermatologist might zap — not a big deal, not really serious or important, but annoying enough to want gone.

Most people wouldn't have guessed that Spencer Hastings was a rowdy little kid, but she was. Even when she tried to be well behaved and quiet, she found herself constantly dancing, singing, and speaking but louder than she needed to. She liked jumping on everything she could climb onto and screaming as she did so. Every time, she was punished, and brought to her room, not to come out. She wasn't being bad, she was just being a child, but she was punished anyway. She was told day in and day out to just cut it out, and asked Why do you need to bother us all day long? Why can't you behave better? Why do you have to be like this, Spencer? in her parents' scowling voices. She was a smart little girl, and learned quickly it was less about what she was and wasn't allowed to do, and more about staying on the wayside and staying out of the way, playing by herself in her room and coming out only to eat her supper when she could resist. She relied on that instinct — one of escape, almost — to avoid the yelling and the bothering as she grew into the Spencer standing in front of Mr. Cavanaugh that day. She had a hard time believing that she wasn't the bother she'd been trained to believe she was. The Disappearing Girl, she remembered an ex of Melissa's not-so-affectionately teasing her as she would slip in and out of rooms quietly, trying her hardest not to stir the pot the wrong way.

She'd thought Toby was her safe place, was her home, the place she could unwind and be less and less of a bother as time went on. Not a problem, or too any negative. Not the invisible girl that could disappear on cue. Just Spencer, living her life and able to do that without guilt or worry. But she felt that same feeling standing here with his father. She smiled sheepishly, recognizing that her boyfriend had gotten his sweetness from his father. She liked the idea of such a positive trait being passed on, as she hadn't the same type of lucky gene pool.

"Are you absolutely sure i'm not bothering you?" She asked hesitantly, hugging her books tightly to her chest.

"Not at all…" He looked her up and down. He hoped his son knew he had to take special care of this girl. He hoped she found the glue she needed to get herself stuck back together. He could see her brokenness in her demeanor. "You're always welcome here… You make this house a better place," he smiled. "We need a woman around, it makes a house feel more complete." He offered.

She chewed over her bottom lip. She seemed to be thinking something over before finally stepping forward and surprising Toby's dad by giving him a hug. He was taken aback at first, but eased into it and rubbed her back as he leaned into it. He could feel the tension leave her shoulders as she came into contact with him, as if she'd been carrying this with her for too long and his acceptance finally allowed her to shed some of that heaviness.

She stepped back and opened her mouth to apologize when he lifted the plate from behind him on the island with a chicken salad sandwich on it, sliced in half on the diagonal. "Hungry?" he offered her half of his sandwich.

"Thank you," she sat with him at they ate together in the kitchen quietly.

After a few bites, Spencer wiped her mouth and looked back up at Mr. Cavanaugh. "I really like being here," she said with the corners of her lips daring to turn up into a grin.

"Good, we like having you." He smiled back, noticing how much better she looked as opposed to when she was running out of the house. Settled and serene, he took comfort in knowing whatever it was going on in her life that had her so jumpy and apologetic, she could still find places she felt good, and that that place was his home. The house hadn't felt like a home in a complete sense since Marion had passed. But this, this was a turning point.

xx

Cause, baby, I could build a caaaastle out of all the bricks they threw at me-ee. And every day is like a baaaattle, but every night with us is like a dre-eaaam.

Toby made a confused face as the Taylor Swift song blared through his house. When he realized it was coming from his room and his father wasn't home, he knew Spencer must be downstairs in his room. He couldn't help but laugh as she came into view as he saw Spencer, just as he expected. She had the music so loud she hadn't heard him creak down the stairs, and sit on a middle step to watch her flail around his room dancing to the music and loudly singing along in a totally spazzy, all over the place, cute kind of way as she quite literally bounced around the room as she folded laundry from his laundry basket for him.

Toby finally stood and walked down and dropped his bag on the floor. "Why wasn't I invited to the dance party?" He raised an eyebrow as she jumped out of her skin, clearly scared as she thought she was alone, and stopped mid rock-out session as she stared at him, completely mortified. But then she changed her mind as the chorus swelled and she started to jump around again, decidedly losing her embarrassment to have him join her. She bounced over to him, jumping on him and wrapping her legs around his waist, letting him catch her mid-air. "I missed you, I missed you, I missed you," she said softly, burying herself in his neck before looking him in the eyes and immediately laughing loudly as he kept his grin, replaying her goofy dancing and scream-singing in their heads. "BABY WE'RE THE NEW ROMANTICS, COME ON COME ALONG WITH ME, HEARTBREAK IS THE NATIONAL ANTHEM, WE SING IT PROUDLY!" She restarted her screeching along to the song as she tightly wrapped her arms around his neck and swirled some of his hair around her fingers as she sang, sure to keep eye contact, except for when she was singing so passionately and theatrically that she was shutting her eyes. She started to unlatch her legs mid-singing to dance with him but he tightened his grip on her thighs to keep her in his arms, laughing loudly as he carried her over to his bed.

We are too busy dancin', to get knocked off our feet, baby we're the new romantics, the best people in life are FREE,

Spencer continued to mumble the lyrics and hum as she giggled as he finally get go, her body bouncing on the bed as he joined beside her, laughing as she was literally knocked down to the lyric she sang.

"I missed you too," Toby finally responded, kissing her lips. "I liked watching you dance…" he teased, his fingertips glued to her hip, thumbing at her back to rub.

"Then get up and dance WITH me!" She said as the song faded out and the beginning beats of Such Great Heights by the Postal Service swelled up, a cacophony of different beats chiming playfully as she flexed her hands by her sides and hopped from one foot to the other to the beat.

"Come onnnnn," she urged as the intro continued to roll, singing directly into his face as she tried to pull him up as the lyrics started. He finally gave in and sang right back in her face, hopping around the room with her until they could barely catch their breaths and they fell onto the floor in a fit of laughter and tangled limbs.

"I didn't know you liked the Postal Service…"

"They're one of my favorites," she smiled. "I remember stealing the CD from Melissa's old boyfriend from out of his bag when he was in her room one day after school…i really wanted it and no one would take me to the music store." She laughed. "I felt so guilty after that I shoved it in Melissa's backpack the next day…after I put it on my computer of course." She leaned her head back onto his lap and let him stroke her hair.

"How was California?" She peered up at him.

"Amazing," he grinned big. He pushed her up a little bit so he could crawl over to his back and took a shopping bag from it, grinning obscenely wide. "I got you something."

"What did you do?" she squinted at him, taking the bag. She wasn't good at accepting gifts or compliments all the time. "You shouldn't have…"

"Just open it," he said hopping onto the counter to watch her, grabbing a bag of tortilla chips and starting to eat as he waited.

Spencer looked at him suspiciously and pulled out a dark olive gown adorned with sequins — a dress identical to the one she'd tried on at the store with Hanna and Aria.

"Before you argue," Toby started as she opened her mouth to object. "Aria snapped me a picture of you in the dress and told me how much you liked it…and I saw that one in California believe it or not in a window by the hotel, and I took it as a sign…I know you said you didn't want to go to prom, but…if you don't, I want to take you somewhere you can wear that pretty dress. So you just let me know when I should rent a tux…it's okay if it isn't prom. Even if we just lay on the couch all dressed up…I wanted you to have it if it made you feel beautiful."

She looked back down at the dress and fingered at the material, remembering how much she adored it. Her boyfriend was too sweet. "I'll go to prom," she let a small smile wash over her mouth. "But only because this dress deserves a night out and Aria and Hanna would kill me if I didn't let them be there for that." she teased.

He responded with a big, wet kiss on the lips coated in peppermint from the gum he was still chewing, and she laughed as she pulled it from her own mouth to her surprise as it had been very slippery and darted in without her even realizing. "I'm glad I'm here too," she responded to his previous statement, leaning herself against him, not planning on going home before the sun rose the next morning.