*Full A/N at end.

*Disclaimer: I own nothing. Characters not mine, they belong to Sara Shepard as well as writers of the show. Future characters may belong to me, but we will cross that bridge when we get there.

Nothing Stays The Same

Chapter 4. Spinster Sister

Spencer awoke the next morning with a nagging feeling to pay a visit to her fiance. He didn't show at dinner last night and she already missed him.

She dragged herself out of her bed with a sigh, thinking about how great it would be if she and Toby just bought a house together and could live happily in that house on the hillside with their two kids, Emma and Mason, and they would be a happy family of four. Of course, Spencer's dreams were far into the future, but at least it was a future she would share with Toby Cavanaugh.

The brunette girl descended the staircase into the joined living room and kitchen, where her mother was slaving over the stove and her father was reading the paper, his glasses perched on the end of his nose. This sight was the same every morning, except this time, Melissa was nowhere to be found.

As she entered the kitchen, her arms crossed over her chest, she asked, "Where's Melissa?"

Her mom looked up from the pan where she was making those famous Hastings pancakes, "Oh, she went into town early this morning looking for some good florists and looking into bridal shops. She would have woken you, but I told her not to bother you, you looked like you needed your rest last night. What wwas going on?"

Spencer gave a confused look then, but she figured that her mom was asking about what happened at Aria's house.

"Oh, just, the usual drama with the girls. Nothing big of course..." she replied almost hesitantly. Spencer didn't want to tell her mother that as usual, Alison was giving her signature disapproval and snide comments about other people's lives.

Her mother, Veronica, gave her 'the look'. The one that would cut through solid rock. And Spencer exhaled heavily.

"I just don't really want to talk about it. It would ruin my day." she said, before she dipped her finger into the batter and licked it from her finger. "Mhm. Tastes just as good uncooked..." she commented, walking away.

Just then, Melissa walked through the front door, brochures and business cards and bouquets of flowers in her hands. Not to mention a grin on her face as she was satisfied with her own work.

Spencer eyed her, "What is all of that?"

Melissa set the flowers and cards on the coffee table then sat on the sofa, motioning for her little sister to join her.

Spencer went over and sat next to Melissa, a confused expression on her face. As she read some of the business cards she smiled softly, even though she was slightly out of her comfort zone right now.

Melissa finished organizing the flowers and turned to Spencer, "Okay. I know that some of this isn't exactly your forte. But these bridal shops are the best in the tri-state area. Tomorrow, we're going to go and get you into some of those dresses." she said, smiling happily and hoping that Spencer wouldn't object to her offers.

Spencer didn't really know how to react. In all honesty she would be happy even if she wore nothing but a burlap sack. As long as she was marrying Toby, she would be happy.

"Melissa... I don't know... A lot of these shops sound way out my zone. In all honesty, they sound a lot more like ones that you would go to if this were your wedding. I mean come on, April Rose's Wedding Gowns? Anything with 'Wedding Gowns' in the name clearly isn't me." she said.

Melissa huffed, "Well of course it's not you Spence. It's the you in the future. The you that you're going to be. The bride version of you. In approximately two weeks you're no longer going to be a Hastings. And you'll be a different version of yourself. You'll be a married woman. You won't be my kid sister anymore, you'll be all grown up and wanting to start a family."

Spencer was dumbfounded and speechless in this moment. Melissa actually looked as if she were going to cry. And in all honesty, Spencer had to admit that she may cry as well. Melissa could be a little devil at times, but sometimes she would pull through with a heartfelt message, just like now.

Spencer reached around and hugged her sister, then it dawned on her that Melissa had chosen a date for the wedding. Without consulting her first. Not that it mattered when to her, just that Melissa hadn't even asked if she had a time in mind.

"Wait? Two weeks?" she asked.

Melissa felt the need to correct her, "Approximately."

"That's what I said." Spencer remarked. "Melissa, you can really plan a wedding in two weeks?" she said in disbelief. Melissa always had her tricks up her sleeve, but managing an entire wedding, from top to bottom, in a matter of two weeks would take some insane hat tricks.

Melissa kind of shrugged her shoulders to respond. "Spence. If a woman believes she is powerful, then she can do anything. Even plan an entire wedding in two weeks." she said, half joking.

"Okay yes, but.., Two weeks is just, rapidly approaching." Spencer said.

Melissa sighed, "Spencer. Please just trust me on this. I just think that it might be better if the wedding were set sooner. Besides, I've already sent out the invitations with the date and everything. So, now you can't object." Melissa said with a sly grin on her face.

Spencer's jaw dropped, "You did what?!"

Melissa just smiled, "You heard me."

"Melissa, you set a date for my wedding and sent out invitations without consulting me or ,oh, my fiance!?"

Melissa set her hand on her sister's shoulder for comfort, "Calm down. I have it under control. I know exactly what I'm going to do."

Spencer exhaled and pinched the bridge of her nose. From the corner of her eye she could see her mother come in the room.

"Girls? What is going on in here?" Veronica asked.

Spencer didn't answer, she simply got up and walked out of the house, starting off to Toby's. She desperately needed to feel his embrace.

After Spencer left Melissa spoke up, "She's mad because I sent out her wedding invitations with a date and everything without asking her or Toby first."

Veronica sighed at how Melissa could have the best intentions but they don't come across that way. "Honey, this is a big day for her. She wants it to be special. She probably has everything planned out in her head she just doesn't want to say it all, we all know how anal your sister is."

"Mom, I know that. I just- Is it bad that it bothers me that my younger sister is getting married before I am."

Her mother sat down next to her and put an arm around her, "Melissa. She just found her soul mate before you did. You'll find yours someday."

Melissa leaned in to her mother's shoulder, "Well can someday hurry up, before I become a spinster and nobody will ever want to marry me."

Veronica laughed lightly, "You're not going to be a spinster Melissa. Your day will come. Just be patient, love cannot be rushed. Take it from me, your Aunt Diane was married before I was. I'm happily married to your father, her husband left her."

Melissa laughed at her mom's idea of comforting words, "So you're saying that when I get married, Toby will leave Spencer."

Her mom shook her head, "I didn't say that Melissa. And don't you go telling Spencer that either. She would turn into Frankenstein's Bride. You and I both know it."

Melissa just laughed as her mom got up and walked away to finish her housework.

[Meanwhile]

As Spencer arrived at Toby's house she bothered not with knocking anymore. Soon enough, she wouldn't need to knock at all because she would not need to knock to get into her own house with the man she loves.

As she walked into the house she saw Toby sitting in the love seat and she smiled at how focused he was on his reading.

"Wow. I hate to interrupt a man so focused on a book." she said humorously.

At the sound of her voice Toby looked up and set the book down with a little laugh. "Yes. You should be ashamed of yourself for doing such things." he joked back, motioning for her to join him.

She walked over and sat next to him on the seat and snuggled herself close to him, he immediately placed his arm around her to hold her.

He kissed the top of her head, "Something bothering you?" he asked. He could always tell when something was on her mind, she didn't even have to say anything, he just knew.

"Not so much bothering me as irritating me." she replied.

"Well, tell me." he said as he played with the ends of her hair.

"It's Melissa."

Toby laughed. "Again? I thought that we were going to trust her?"

The simple fact that he said 'we' and not 'you' was astounding to her. He used 'we', and basically initiated that they would spend forever together; inseparable.

"We are going to trust her. It's just, she sent out invitations already." she replied.

Toby looked shocked, "Wow. She works fast. I wasn't expecting invitations out already. This is a good thing."

She sucked her teeth at him causing him to laugh, "It's not that it's not a good thing."

"Then what is it?" he asked, still playing with her hair which always smelled a little bit like Vanilla.

"It's that she picked a date, and she didn't even ask us."

"Oh." he said, pretending to understand this rather feminine matter. It was one of those things that only girls cared about when it came to weddings. Toby was happy with any date, as long as every date after that was spent with his beautiful wife. "So, you don't like this date that she picked, then?"

"Actually, I don't even know when it is. I didn't ask, she didn't tell me. I just walked out and came here before I said something outrageous to her."

This caused Toby to laugh again and Spencer playfully jabbed his side. "Hey, don't laugh at me, you fat head." she joked.

He feigned a look of hurt and pulled her closer to him still, "I laugh at you because I love you."

"Mmm, I love you too." she said as she leaned in and gave him a brief kiss then rested her head on his strong but soft and comfortable shoulder. He was the place where she felt safest. He was her safe place to land.

A/N: It's 1,900 words. Woohoo! Not bad for writer's block. Yes, sorry guys. I had the biggest writer's block. And I was busy with things that just kept coming up in life. I hope that you liked this chapter, I know it's rather fluffy, but it's getting us somewhere, I promise. Maybe some Toby/Jason bromance in the next chapter? (: Leave me reviews, and favorites are always appreciated as well. Thanks guys! xx

Also, I'm shooting for (if things stay on track) for Chapter 5 to be posted by Friday March 8 2013.