Stumbling into the dimly lit kitchen, Emily and Hanna had been rudely awoken by the sound of shattered glass. When the sound reached Emily's ears, she turned over on the couch, desperately wanting Spencer's warm, peaceful body to be next to her, but it wasn't. "Spence! Are you awake yet?" She bellowed in the living room of the Hastings household, Hanna following suit next to her. Her blonde bed head was bopping around, Emily noticed the goosebumps on her bare arms, although Ali had always called her the sweet one, Hanna was really the kind one of all the girls.
"C'mon Spencer, you've already woken us up, no going back now." Hanna walked into the pitch black kitchen and shrieked in terror. Spencer was curled up on the floor, a fruit bowl in pieces at her feet. She rocked back and forth, tears spilling out of the corners of her eyes. The moment Emily had seen her best friend on the ground, it was like that was herself, sobbing on the floor. Emily rushed to Spencer's side, wrapping her sweater around the crying girls arms.
"It's Eddie.. he-" Emily shooshed Spencer, cradling her head in her hands. Hanna tried to speak but she shot her a soft but telling look that said, "no."
"You don't have to tell me anything Spence, yet. He really was there for you, even when we weren't. Silence is ok, words will just complicate everything." As soon as Spencer took another breath, Emily stepped back and lead Hanna into the hall. "Han, go get Aria and go to my house, ok. Just wait for Spencer and I to get there, I'll try to get some information about what happened to Eddie, but I probably won't. Aria must know something, she was with us too."
"I would tell you to protect her, Em, but I know no matter what you will. You love her more than all of us combined, and you know it. Call me when you get the chance, but if you can't, I'll be watching Aria." Hanna, barely holding back tears, turned away to pick up her stuff. Emily returned to Spencer's side, flipping the light on.
"It's just us now Spence, like it almost always is. Did you have any breakfast yet, I could make you a swanky french omelette like they have at the club." To others, even Aria & Hanna, they would think that Emily was putting on a front, but there were no fronts with Spencer.
"I'm good, right now I'd much rather swallow a quart of extremely sharpened nails. Not french manicure, straight up razor edged nails." Letting out a meek chuckle, Emily smiled, Spencer needed to laugh today. Feeling the nervous tension in the room lift, she slid a glass of orange juice near her on the floor.
"You, Hastings need to sit up and get hydrated. You can't investigate on a weak immune system, or do anything for that matter. Now, drink up." Spencer timidly sipped on the juice, but her thirst took over and she gulped the whole glass down. Her face grew sullen and Spencer pressed her lips together pertly, clearing her throat.
"I'm sorry Em." Spencer tilted her head to the side, placing most of her weight onto the kitchen table, she had just recently gotten up from her depressed sitting state.
Baffled, Emily inquired "for what? You have nothing to apologize for."
"You've been here for me through all of this, through Radley and Toby, the A team and this now. I've been a terrible friend compared to you, when Maya died, instead of caring about how you were doing, I was obsessed with what happened at grave. I should've realized that you needed me, because I need you more." As Spencer continued, Emily felt a light and gentle flutter in her stomach. When Spencer said that she needed her, it was like a tiny brush was painting her chest. "I want you to know, that whenever you have to talk about anything, from Paige to your new favorite Real Housewife, I'm here. No matter what, you don't even have to knock, you have your own key." She made her way over to Emily's side of the table, delicately pushing Emily's stray hairs behind her ears. Spencer placed her forehead against the swimmer's, feeling an odd tingly sensation heating up from her neck to her cheeks, butterflies of course not, Spencer Hastings didn't get the butterflies, especially for her best friend and she was straight. She considered these feelings but let them go. Seeing the red in Emily's rosy cheeks, she stepped back.
"Wow.. I don't think I'm deserving of that monologue. I have my key in my back pocket if you ever need it, by the way." She had her signature Fields smile painted on her face, semi-innocent and semi-flirtatious. Their eyes locked for what seemed like an eternity, but no one moved a muscle.
When you've been best friends with someone for a majority of your life, you're comfortable that way. You become used to your sleepover routines, inside jokes, and when you're like Spencer and Emily, banding together to stop A. During all this time, that comfortability changes, a spark of a new feeling floats into the air. In those moments, you have to make a decision: to take a chance or to stay in the comfortable zone...
A loud knock interrupted the tension filled moment, and Spencer and Emily's eyes focused on the back door. Shockingly, Hanna and Aria stood in the doorway, their eyes vacant, but it was who was next to them that was truly jaw dropping. Toby Cavanaugh, Spencer's first love, the man who had betrayed her, Emily's former best friend. What could he possibly want?
Earlier that morning, someone sat in a vacant bar, swirling a concoction of vodka and lime in their gloved hands. On the cheap television in the right corner, the news blared loudly. The tiny anchor was sullen as she discussed the news breaking overnight at Radley, Eddie Lamb had been murdered while on the job. Detective Holbrook was currently holding a press conference, he stated the obvious, that this would be vigorously investigated and that there were no current suspects. "Need another straw?" The greasy bartender asked, and the hooded person nodded. The plan was getting set in motion..