Toby woke up first the next morning. It was 6:50 am and his MP3 had been on a loop all night. He and Spencer were still in the same position they had fallen asleep in, she was wrapped closely against him, her back to his chest as his arms embraced her presence- probably for warmth. Spencer finally began to stir about five minutes later.

"Hey." He whispered, his voice soft. " I wasn't going to wake you, I figured you could use all the rest you could get. You looked pretty shaken up last night."

"Um, yeah." Her eyes trying to adjust to the setting she had fallen asleep in. "I'm fine, I don't know why I made such a big deal about that. It was basically nothing."

Toby glanced down at the bruises she had shown him, and she caught his gaze. "Nothing huh? That looks like something to me." He recalled. Spencer quickly became self-conscious, and hid the black and blue mark with her sweater.

"Oh! Spencer. I didn't mean to make you feel-" His voice faded out. Toby looked at his watch and directed his eyes to the coffee shop across the street, then back to Spencer.

"Why don't we go to The Brew? It opens at 7, and you're cold and all the color has left your skin…" Toby reached up to feel her cheek, and then laughed at his own thought, "… I'm starting to think they should've casted you in all of the Twilight movies."

"You've seen twilight?" She snickered a bit.

"I've heard stories about it."

Both Toby and Spencer stood, walking across the street to grab a quick breakfast.

"What do you want?" Toby asked handing Spencer a menu.

"Oh no! Toby please, I can pay for my drink, you don't have to. But, thanks!"

She turned to the cashier ready to order her drink of choice. "I'll take a Hazelnut Frappuccino."

"And I'll just have a coffee. Black." Toby added.

"Your total today will be $8.43."

Spencer dug around in the pockets conveniently placed on her skirt. At this moment she realized she had left her wallet and phone at home when she stormed out the night before.

Without even speaking, Toby gave the cashier a $10 bill, and waited for change. Spencer smiled, feeling a tad bit guilty and embarrassed for not paying for her drink like she said she would. Toby picked up on her embarrassment and spoke on it, "Don't worry. It's my treat."

Spencer sat and talked about an hour. Neither one of them wanted it to end really, they were enjoying each other's company. They were enjoying how for the first time in a long time someone would listen to them, and not judge them immediately. Then hecame into the conversation.

"So, what's your boyfriend's name?"

"Alex"

"And he did that to you?" Toby couldn't get his mind off of the bruises and cuts he had seen on Spencer. They weren't minor aches and pains, they were big.

"Yeah." She turned away ashamed of what she had become.

Noticing the frown that slowly crept across her face, Toby set out on a mission to see that award-winning smile of hers again. He said the first thing that came to his mind, "Dick."

She laughed, "I know he is."

A silent pause.

"So why don't you do something about it?"

She let out a heavy breath, " I don't know. I mean, I wouldn't really be fighting for anything. Nothing important anyways."

He looked at her, their eyes locked immediately, "YOU are important." Realizing what he had just said, a bright red color filled his cheeks as he tried to cover up the feelings in his recent statement. "You have family and friends who care about you Spencer, which means you need to do whatever it takes to keep you as close to them as long as possible."

Spencer's stomach did about a million flips within the next five minutes just from Toby's speech, but what she didn't know was that when he said she was important, he meant it. Spencer Hastings was important to her friends, her family, her teachers, her field hockey team, but Spencer Hastings was also important to Toby.

It came about time for the two new friends to wrap up their coffee party, and head their separate ways. Toby walked out first, turning to hold the door as Spencer followed behind him.

"Thank you, for everything. I really needed a place to run to last night, and I'm really glad I ran into you."

"SPENCER?!" She turned slightly panicked. "Where have you been? I have been calling you for hours. You left me at that party last night, I had to get a ride home from Noel after my girlfriend 'mysteriously disappeared' in the middle of the party.

"Well, seems to me like you should know something about that disappearance since you're the reason why I disappeared in the first place!"

Toby broke finally broke his silence, "So you're Alex?"

"Yeah. Who are you? Like her fifth step-brother or somethin'? Don't feel bad kid, her dad got around quite a bit. You're not alone." Alex smirked, and pushed Spencer into the passenger seat of his car, "Let's go!"

As Alex made his way to the driver's side of the car, Toby stopped him right in his tracks.

"My name is Toby." He stated forwardly. His jaw set. "Spencer's my friend," He continued this time clenching his fist, "And if you hurt her, I will find you. No matter where you hide." Toby took a step closer preparing to make a direct deposit to Alex's face when he caught sight of Spencer from the passenger's window. Everything about her face told him that she didn't want to witness a fight. She didn't want anyone to get hurt.

Toby backed away from Alex, making it clear that this was his first and last warning. Alex continued to the driver's side and once he was settled in he closed and locked the doors.

Toby sat at one of the outdoor tables lining the front The Brew. He watched as they drove away, and came to the realization that he would probably never see Spencer again. They lived in different worlds that weren't even close to being the same.

Meanwhile, Spencer and Alex just drove. It was dead silent in the car. All that was heard was the humming of the engine. Spencer's mind was busy thinking about what had happened, how could she get out of the mess that she had landed a one-way ticket to. If I stay with Alex, I'm basically saying that I enjoy these bruises and cuts. Pause. But I don't. Runaway? Nope, he found me. Suicide? Maybe. I tried. Were five pills not enough? No. Then she thought of Toby: His kindness and warmth, and not to mention his lovely blue eyes. Why hasn't Alex ever bought me breakfast? Toby did. Alex never holds me protectively, and listens to my worries in the middle of the night? Toby did. Alex never said anything about me being important. Toby did. She looked over to the driver's seat, then down at her trembling hands. Alex doesn't even love me. Toby… well, whatever. Is Toby right? Do I need to say something? Do I really have a reason to call whatever this is with Alex off? Will he get mad? Oh god, what if he hits me even more? She waved off all these thoughts, and turned to Alex while they were at a red light. Here goes nothing.

"Alex. We need to talk."

A/N: Look at me leaving you with a cliffhanger. You won't have to wait long for the next chapter as it's already been written. I post faster the more reviews and follows I get so hop to it and happy reviewing. :)