Running late for work. Leave me beautiful things to come back to okay.

From here on out the format will be more like let's go back to the start with each chapter, or maybe two chapters, encompassing a month.

I didn't have time to proofread this, so excuse any typos! LOVE YOU ALL. Seriously the best reviewers in the whole world.

Chapter 7

He watched as Spencer packed an overnight bag. As much as he hoped she would come home during the nights he knew that it wasn't likely, impossible was a better word. She wouldn't leave him, and he was torn. As much as he always wanted her by his side it was ingrained in him to protect his wife... to keep her safe and happy. A hospital wasn't exactly ideal for that.

"Are you ready to go?" She smiled softly and reached for his hand.

Not at all. Not even a little bit. He actually could never remember a circumstance in which he had been more terrified. But he would be strong for her as long as he could be. He knew that it wasn't necessary, that she'd love him no matter what, but he wanted to be. He wanted to be the rock that she could depend on. It was something that he could still do.

So he nodded and let her help him up. As they walked out the door he wasn't even tempted to look back. He loved their apartment, but not because of the space itself, but because it was the first home that he shared with Spencer. But honestly? Home was wherever she was. As they walked outside, the warmth of the sun on his face reminded him that he would miss the outdoors.

It was only a month. You could do anything for a month.

His shoulders ached as he drove significantly over the speed limit. It had been a grueling month of construction and repairs. And while it wasn't exactly his ideal venue, he was proud of what he had been able to accomplish. But now it was time to go home.

All throughout his month in Delaware he had attempted to find some spare time, to get back to Philly to see her. But it had never worked out, and it was killing him. But now he was so close he could practically feel her presence. He pulled his truck over to the curb and looked through the window at the back of her head.

She didn't look different, but still she looked more beautiful all the same. The way her brown curls grazed against the middle of her back, the way her slim shoulders looked relaxed and poised at the same time. He could literally stare at her all day. He thought that he loved her as much as one person could love another, but right at that moment he realized that he was wrong. He loved her more now than he ever had, than he ever thought possible. There was something about being away from the person you loved to help you sort out your priorities. The money was nice, but it wasn't worth it. Nothing was worth it when she wasn't around.

He pulled his aching frame from the truck and began to make his way toward her. He was about halfway to her when she suddenly turned around, her hair fanning around her face and her lips puckered into a perfect o. She hadn't been expecting him, which made this all the better. He glided across the grass, his pace only quickening at the sight of her moving toward him. She was here. He was right here. They were finally together.

Their bodies collided, and for a second he thought that they would stumble to the ground; but he managed to keep both his footing and his grip on her. "I love you," he murmured, his lips already finding her mouth. "God, Spence... I just love you so much. I love you."

"You can't leave me for that long again," she mumbled, pulling away to lean into his embrace.

He sighed and took in a deep breath of the scent pouring off of her hair. "I'd almost forgotten your smell."

"You're a dork," she laughed, leaning back so she could see his face. "And I love you too."

If he could live without Spencer for a month he could certainly survive being with her in a hospital. He just- he would miss the sun.

"You ready, baby?"

And with a start he realized that they were at the hospital. He nodded and reached in the back for their bags. Spencer tried to take hers from him, but he just rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on it. "Did you bring a book or something?"

"I brought my Kindle," she laughed. He could tell she was more emotional that she was letting on, but he appreciated her attempt at keep him calm. She tenderly took her hand in his and brought it to her mouth, brushing her lips across the back. "Don't worry about anything, okay? I'll take care of everything. You just focus on getting better."

He hesitated, pulling them to a stop just outside the entrance to the place that would be his home for the next month. She looked up at him questioningly until understanding flashed through the vivid brown. She squeezed his hand and lead him over to a park bench just beneath a tree. "We don't have to go in until you're ready, okay? We'll just sit out here and relax in the sun."

The bags dropped to the ground with a quiet thump, and his arms wound their way around her waist nearly as quickly. Sometimes he was sure that she could read his mind, but he had never loved her more for it. It wasn't so much because she found a way to prolong their inevitable entrance into the hospital as it was her unyielding support. "I'm okay, babe. I promise. It's just weird knowing I won't be outside again for so long."

"Anytime it gets to be too much just tell me and I'll either smuggle you out of there or break a window. I'll make it okay for you."

The fact that she was 100% serious was the best part of that impassioned little speech. He laughed and buried his face in her hair for a second before pulling away. "Let's do this."

"Are you sure?" She gave him a small smile and ran a hand through his hair. "We can just hang out for awhile."

"Are you coming with me?" He asked her, leaning into her hands.

"I don't think that anything in the world could keep me away, if I'm being completely honest." She leaned up and kissed his cheek. She didn't ask him about his feelings again. Instead she grabbed his hand again and led him inside. He could hear her talking, but he wasn't listening. He couldn't focus. Every time he got emotional it was like he turned his brain off and focused on something else. Maybe not something happier, but something to get his mind off of his present situation. It had always been a talent of his.

He didn't have to look for her, because there was no place else she'd be right now. It was their place. He pulled up alongside her car and followed the trail to where he knew he would find her.

The sun was shining, and it's brightness seemed more pronounced in contrast to his troubled mind. She was hurting, and for as long as he cared to remember her pain was equivalent to a punch to the gut. Her pain was his pain.

He could see her now, her small back obscured by the bright reflection of the sun off of the town spread out in front of her and the foliage that surrounded her seat. But he knew it was her. He might not have been able to see her clearly, but his heart knew.

"Spence," he whispered, altering her to his presence before running a soft hand down her back and taking a seat next to her. "Spencer, what happened?" He knew what had happened, but he wanted to hear it from her.

She shook her head and flinched away from him. "Stop."

He slid closer to her and took her hand, the minimal amount of contact he could handle. "Okay, you don't have to tell me what happened. Emily already did. But for the record, she's wrong."

"Apparently Melissa's never wrong," she whispered. She lifted her legs onto the bench and hid her face in her knees. But she didn't let go of his hand, and he saw that as a good sign.

"She is about this." He nudged his free hand under her chin and tilted her face upward. "She's so wrong, Spencer. Tell me exactly what she said." He swiped his thumb below either of her eyes, wiping the tears away.

"She said I was cold and cruel. And that anyone with eyes could see how ugly I am inside and out..." she trailed off before continuing in a fast, breathless voice. "I know that I shouldn't take what she said to heart, but it's like she looked inside me and found my biggest insecurities."

"Well that's easy." He leaned down and met her mouth in a soft kiss. "You're far from cruel. You're actually one of the most genuinely kind people I've ever met. And cold? That's a joke. You can just look in your eyes and see how warm and kind you are."

"You have to say that," she mumbled, trying to divert her gaze.

His fingers were unrelenting, voicing her to maintain eye contact. "The thing is, I don't. There's no blood relation here. There's no reason for me to keep you in my life other than choice. I choose to love you, Spencer. And I like my choices. I'll choose you again tomorrow and the next day and until the day that I die. You'll always be the person I love the most, baby. And that's the truth."

"What would I do without you?" She laughed shakily. "How would I ever be able to navigate this shitty life without you by my side?"

He shook his head with a smirk and dropped down for another kiss. "Furthermore, she's the most wrong about the ugly thing. You're the most stunning person that I've ever laid eyes on."

When he tore himself from the memories he found himself in a pretty plain room. The flat screen tv on the wall was nice, as was the plush couch in the corner. At least Spencer'd have somewhere comfortable to wait. "When do we start?"

The nurse that led them to the room gave him a broad, very fake smile. That was something he could do without. If having cancer wasn't bad enough he had to deal with these fake, cheery women constantly. Spencer looked at him like she knew exactly what he was thinking. The nurse glanced between the two of them before answering. "The doctor should be in shortly. We want to begin as soon as possible."

"The doctor is here," Dr. Green laughed as he breezed into the room. "Talk about opportune timing."

Toby smiled at the man who was trying to make everything alright. He appreciated his sincerity and his transparency. If something was going wrong he wanted to know, he wanted to prepare himself. And he actually trusted Dr. Green to tell him. "So we get started now?"

"Yes." Dr. Green nodded at the nurse who immediately began to hook him up to a series of machines. He watched her in fascination for a moment before turning to Spencer.

She had a pained look on her face. When she saw that he was looking at her she gave him a halfhearted smile and settled in on the couch.

"Okay, Mr. Cavanaugh there are a few things that you should be aware of. There are a number of side effects that are almost universally experienced. Primarily nausea and a loss of appetite."

"Should he still try to eat?" Spencer asked from the couch.

He shared a quick smile with Dr. Green before the doctor turned to his wife. "Mrs. Cavanaugh, I wish all my patients had family as enthusiastic and involved as you. It would make this a much better place to be. But yes, he should try to eat anyway. It'll keep his strength up."

The nurse's cold fingers probed his arm just before shoving a large needle into his arm. He hissed in pain.

"Sorry." The nurse grabbed a bottle of water from the cabinet by the bed and handed it to him. "Hydrate and try to aim your inevitable vomit for this, okay? We gave you steroids and anti-nausea medication. The chemo is starting now and should last for about four hours." She passed him a pink bucket and an encouraging smile as she left the room.

"Good luck, Mr. Cavanaugh," Dr. Green wrapped his hand around his wrist and squeezed gently. "If you need help press the call button."

Almost immediately the nausea hit him. He thought that he was prepared for it, but he was definitely wrong about that. It kind of felt like someone stabbed him in the stomach and was trying to pull his throat out through the hole.

"Toby?" He felt the mattress shift as she sat down next to him. "Hey, are you alright?"

He wasn't sure that he could speak without puking on her, so he just reached for her hand. "Spence," he choked out when he didn't think that he could hold it back any longer.

As always she knew exactly what he needed before he could even ask. She passed him the bucket just in time. The world went away as he heaved the contents of his stomach into the little pink basin. "Oh baby," she murmured, her small hands rubbing out a soothing pattern on his trembling back. "Oh, I'm so sorry. The nausea medicine probably hasn't kicked in yet."

He nodded as the feeling passed. He leaned back into the pillows. "I'm sorry."

She rose her eyebrows. "Did you get that out of your system? Because if you apologize for something that's not your fault again I'm going to smack you with a pillow." Her eyes scanned the tables and stopped on a package of wet wipes. She took them and put a hand behind his neck, gently cleaning his face. "You're okay. You'll be fine."

He nodded again, not really feeling up to talking. His eyes felt heavy, and he suddenly felt ravenous. He wanted to eat something, but he didn't want to puke like that again. It was actually one of the more painful things that he had experienced.

Spencer fingers brushed over his cheek before curling up next to him. "Do you remember that time you almost kicked that guy's ass in the club Hanna dragged us to?"

His laughter hurt his stomach and warmed his soul. He loved Spencer, but she really shouldn't drink. Her and alcohol caused all kinds of trouble, although this one really wasn't her fault.

His hands tightened around her waist as she fell into him. Her giggles shook through her body and into his. "Toby," she laughed. "Toby, I have something to say."

"What's that?" He chuckled, pressing her lips to the top of her head. She was so cute when she drank, like unbelievably adorable. But she was also like a toddler, getting herself into all kinds of trouble. He was actually scared to let her get further than arm's length away from him.

"I need to pee." She whispered, like it was some kind of massive secret.

He rolled his eyes and tightened his grip on her, half carrying her back to their table. "Em, can you take her to the bathroom?"

Emily looked up from her drink with a smirk. "Did someone have too much to drink?"

He rolled his eyes and smiled amusedly. Emily knew the joys of drunk Spencer as well as he did. "Something like that."

Spencer scoffed, leaning away from his body and into his arms. "I've maybe had one."

"Yeah, alright Spencer." She stood up and took Spencer from Toby, her swimming muscles coming in handy. "We'll be right back," she smiled at Toby and hauled Spencer off in the direction of the bathroom.

He watched them go for a second before sitting in Emily's vacated seat and turning to Caleb. "This is literally my least favorite place on the planet. Alcohol and sleazy drunk idiots are like my exact combination of hell."

"I don't know," his friend chuckled. "You and Spencer seemed pretty cuddly and cute on the dance floor earlier."

"That's because she too is drunk. And you know how she gets when she drinks."

He laughed and nodded. "One time she told me she'd punch me in the throat if I didn't cut up an apple for her."

"Ah, you got off easy, my friend." He opened his mouth to explain how she puked on his shoes, but all funny stories left his mind as Emily came back to the table alone.

"Your wife is an idiot," Emily groaned. "I was hoping she came back here. She threw a bar of soap at me and darted from the bathroom laughing like a hyena. I have no idea where she went."

He closed his eyes for a second, pushing down the unnecessary annoyance. He knew how Spencer was when she drank. He didn't need to get frustrated with Emily over something she genuinely couldn't control. "Okay, can you help me find her before she gets herself into trouble?" He didn't wait for a response before sliding away from the table and toward the bar.

He didn't see her at first, his heart twisting in genuine fear for a second. But then he saw her. Her brown curls drifted down her small back gracefully. She was so beautiful, so poised, even when she so drunk she could barely walk on her own. Even then she was the most beautiful person she had ever seen.

"Come on, baby. Come with me and I'll show you a good time."

He watched the rough hands of some drunken idiot clasp his hands around her shoulders. Spencer tried to shrug away, but his grip was unrelenting. "Yeah, I don't think so," she mumbled. "You smell bad, and I don't think you're very pretty."

"I can take a shower. Come on, I'll show you a good time."

And right then he got to her. He yanked the other guy off of her and stepped between them. "I think she said no."

"Ah, come on man, don't be a cockblock." He reached around him, but Toby pushed his arm out of the way, seriously tempted to kick his ass.

He rolled his eyes and glanced over his shoulder. "Spence, do you want to go with him?"

"No thank you." She leaned into his back and took her drink from the bartender.

Toby sighed and snagged it out of her hands. She had officially had enough. He wrapped both arms around her and lead her back to their friends. "Spence, how do you manage to find trouble everywhere you go?"

"It's a talent," she laughed and leaned up to kiss him sloppily. "I love you because you always rescue me. My hero," she laughed and stumbled into him.

He kissed the top her her head and settled her into the inside seat of the booth, refusing to let her escape again. She'd be fine as long as he was there. He slid her a glass of water and took her hand. "Just drink your water, Spence," he laughed and kissed her cheek.

"You're the literal worst drunk on the planet," he laughed. As they talked he slowly grew unbelievably hot. It was like a ball of fire was in his chest. "Is it warm in here?"

She didn't answer. Instead she hopped up and pointed the fan at him. "Is that alright? Or do you want me to see if I can find a nurse to mess with the thermostat?"

"No, that's perfect," he reached for her, indicating that she should join him on the bed. "Get back over here, Spence."

She smiled and curled back up next to him. "My point in bringing that up, as amusing as your commentary on my inebriated state was, is that you always protected me when I couldn't do it myself. You always kept me safe. I'll do that for you now, okay? Whatever you need, whenever you need it... I'm here sweetheart. Just relax. Just breath, okay? Don't be afraid to ask me for what you need, because that's what I'm here for."

He wanted to tell her how much he loved her, how much he appreciated her presence. But his churning stomach didn't allow that. "Spence," he mumbled, jolting upward. She passed him the bucket again. The only thing that kept him sane as he vomited was the feeling of her soft hand on his back.