Chapter 5

Taking Two Steps Back

Things have been different and not a good different. Ever since that dinner people could tell something was off with Toby and Spencer. Those two have been keeping very important secrets from each other. It was sad because they'd just promised that they wouldn't keep secrets, but these were really big secrets.

Toby could really be the father of five year old Sky and Andrew's trying to get back together with Spencer. Secrets like those could ruin a relationship and Spencer knew that. That's is why she decided that since it was Tuesday and Toby's day off, she would tell him about Andrew. Now, all she has to do was find the right words.

"Hey, babe. I made you a sandwich." Spencer said as she peeked into the den. Since it was Toby's day off, he was watching t.v. in the den in his pajamas while he used the laptop.

"Thanks, Spence." He closed the laptop and set it off to the side.

She came into the den and took a seat beside him before handing over the sandwich. She watched as he almost devoured it in almost two seconds. This was good. He was in a good mood, he's on his day off, and he's should be full after eating that sandwich.

"Toby, I came in here and brought you lunch because I have to tell you something."

He laughed as he wiped his mouth with a napkin and placed the half eaten sandwich on the table."Really? And here I was thinking that you brought me lunch because you loved me." He teased, Spencer didn't even grin."Okay, Spence. What is it?"

"I wanted to confess something. I've been keeping a secret from you and I don't want you to be upset or do anything rash." She explained and watched as Toby's facial expressions change.

"Spencer, we promised each other no more secrets."

"I know and trust me I wouldn't keep a secret like this if it wasn't important."

He turned to fully face her and held her hand."Tell me. What ever it is won't change anything between us."

She took a deep breath and clenched his hand tighter."On Saturday after the dinner with my parents something happened. When you went outside with my parents, Andrew came on to me in the kitchen."

"What?" He said in disbelief because maybe he didn't hear her right or maybe Andrew had a death wish.

"While you were outside, Andrew kissed me." She explained and as soon as she said the word kiss, he was up and walking out of the den."Toby!"

"Spencer, don't try to stop me! That asshole needs to learn that you've already chosen me." He turned and grabbed her hand, then pointed at the diamond engagement ring."This means you're mine and not his."

"Toby, I know that." She said as she followed him to the front door."But think about what you're about to go do."

"What is there to think about?! He kissed my girl, so now my fist can kiss face." He growled as he put on his shoes and opened up the front door.

"Toby, he's you're boss. What about the company? Did you think about what that could do to your business?" That seemed to work because he finally stopped and turned to her.

He cupped her face in his hands and leaned his forehead to hers."Listen to me, babe. If I let him get away with this, then he'll think it's okay to pursue. And there is no way in hell I'm going to let that happen."

"Could we please just talk about-" She was cutoff when Aria called her name from upstairs."Let me go check on Aria. Don't move."

As soon as the door closed, Toby ran off the porch to the Campbell's house next door. He banged on the front door and didn't stop until someone answered. Unfortunately it wasn't who he wanted to answer the door.

"Can I help you?" Kate asked

"I'm looking for your sorry excuse for a husband." Toby didn't wait for her to reply, he pushed past Kate to let himself in the home."Where is he?"

"Well, if you would have waited before barging into my home, then I could have told you that he wasn't here."

"Okay, then tell your husband that if he ever touches Spencer, looks at her, talks to her, or is even in the same room with her, he's a dead man." He threatened before marched past Kate and out of the house.

He walked back over to his house to see, Spencer standing on the porch with her arms crossed.

"I asked you not to move and you go over there anyway, barging in like a manic."

"Look, I'm sorry. I just needed to do it. Andrew wasn't even home, so I guess today is a lucky day for him." He said as he walked past Spencer and went back into the den.

"We are not done talking." She said as she stood in front of the t.v. to get his attention.

"There's nothing to talk about. I'm dropping Andrew as a client and then I'm gonna give him a proper asskicking." He said with a smirk before he opened back up the laptop.

"Toby, you can't do that. This is all my fault and I wish that I could make it, so it wouldn't have to be this way."

He let out a deep sigh."Come here."

He moved the laptop off his lap and replaced it with Spencer. He wrapped his arms securely around he waist and gave her a quick peck on the lips.

"Listen to me. None of this is your fault. Andrew is a scumbag, who wishes he could have you because you're something special. The only problem with that is that you're my special girl and he needs to realize that. This is not your fault it's his fault for thinking that he could steal you away from me."

"I'm sorry that I kept this from you. I just didn't want you to be upset about losing this big contract." She apologized, but he hushed her with another light peck on her lips.

"Spencer, a big contract means nothing to me. But you, on the other hand, mean everything to me." He squeezed her tighter and kissed her ear."I have something to tell you too."

"Please no more bad news I don't think I can handle anymore for this month." She joked, but Toby didn't laugh and that scared her."What is it?"

He sighed as he lifted up to reach his back pocket. He pulled something from his pocket and held it in front of Spencer. She took it and could easily tell that it was a picture.

"Who is this?" She asked as she examined a baby that looked to be a few weeks old. She had to admit the baby was beautiful.

"I have a secret to tell you too." He said and her head snapped up to make eye contact with him."The morning after the dinner, I was taking out the trash and I saw Kate. She told me that she didn't get the paternity test."

Spencer covered her hand over her mouth to stop the gasp she wanted to release. She looked back at the baby and saw those familiar blue eyes. It couldn't be true. This wasn't supposed to happen like this.

She moved out of Toby's lap to sit on the couch beside him."S-So what you're saying his that Sky could be your...daughter?"

He nodded his head and reached for the laptop to let her see what he was doing."Yes, she could be. That's why I've been using the computer today. I've been looking for her."

"Toby, I don't know what to say or feel." She said meekly as she wiped away a few tears that had fallen down her face.

"I don't know either. At first I was angry, then sad, then hurt, and now all I'm trying to do is get some answers."

"Toby, it's been five years since Kate had that baby, she's got to be at least five now. Kate's been keeping that secret for all of this time?"

He moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist."I want to find her, Spence. I want to get a DNA test to see if she's mine. And if she is, then I'm gonna fight to get her."

Spencer couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her fiancé possibly already has another child with someone else. It wasn't supposed to be like this, they were supposed to have kids not him have kids with someone else. If this little girl his, then everything changes and they both would have to grow up fast.

"I need to get ready to go to my classes." Spencer said as she stood. She placed the baby picture on the table before she hurried out of the room. She could hear him calling after him, but she couldn't go back.

Spencer went upstairs to check on Aria. Mostly because she wanted to check on her friend and she needed someone to talk to. When she opened the door to the guest room, Aria was sitting up in bed with her feet propped up on a pillow, watching t.v.

"I would have thought you already left for school to be there early." Aria said and then furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Spencer's puffy red eyes."Hey, is everything okay, Spence?"

"Yeah, everything's great." Spencer tried to put forth her most convincing smile, but couldn't. She was too upset to try and pretend to be happy."Actually, no. Everything is not okay."

That's all it took, She crossed the room and went over to the comforting arms of her friend. As she sobbed, she tried her best to summarize what just happened to Aria. She had to know that Aria understood her because Aria went through the same thing with Malcolm.

"Shhh, Spencer, it's gonna be okay." Aria said as she rubbed her friends back as she cried on her shoulder.

"No, it's not, Aria. The guy I'm in love with could be the father of someone else's child."

"Spence, I understand what you might be feeling right now. I went through the same emotions when I found out about Malcolm." She explained and Spencer seemed to calm down a little bit."I found about Malcolm five years ago and he's still in my life today. Yeah, it was hard at first, but I came to love him as my own."

"That's the thing, I don't think I can be a good mother. What if she doesn't like me or worse I resent her because of who her mother is?"

"Spence, that's not gonna happen. I never did that to Malcolm and I've never really liked Maggie. Even after the fact that we found out that Malcolm wasn't truly Ezra's we didn't resent him because Ezra was raising him as his own."

A thought popped into Spencer's head and she shot up into a sitting position."Oh, my gosh. What if Sky isn't his? Toby can't take that kind of heartbreak because he's so sure that she's his. He can't lose another child, not again."

"Wait. What do you mean again?" Aria asked in confusion and watched as her friend go pale before starting to fidget with the bed sheets."Spencer, is there something that I don't know?"

Spencer sadly bowed her head down as she wiped away a few tears."I-I haven't told you guys the truth. There's something that you guys don't know and Toby doesn't know about it either."

"Spence, please don't tell me what I think you're about to tell me."

"Toby got me pregnant back in high school sometime when we were in Florida. I found out about the baby after Toby and I broke up."

Toby knew that this was going to have a major effect on Spencer. He didn't expect her to run off sobbing, but he couldn't blame her. He knew she went to go talk to Aria which probably meant the rest of the girls were coming over.

He went into their bedroom to change into some simple clothes which was was jeans and a t-shirt for him. He grabbed his keys and wallet off the nightstand before exiting the room. He decided to leave the house to give Spencer some space and time.

He made plans to meet up with Holden and Caleb at a local bar. Once he got there, he noticed his friends weren't there yet, so he took a seat at the bar.

"What can I get ya?" The bartender asked once Toby sat down.

"Anything and everything strong that you have." He said to the girl and watched her walk off to pour his drink.

"Cavanaugh, must be in the doghouse if he's out having drinks with a bachelor." Holden said as he patted his friend on the shoulder and took a seat on the barstool next to him.

"Don't get too excited because Caleb's coming too."

"You guys are buzz kills now that you're all tied down with women. What happened to the pact that we made about just hanging out as guys for the rest of our lives being bachelor?"

Toby chuckled and took the drink from the bartender when she returned."First of all, we made that pact when we were fourteen. Second of all, I forgot about that pact as soon as I met Spencer. And third of all, you're just jealous you don't have anything to go home to and snuggle up with."

Holden gave him a glare before sending him a mischievous smirk."Bartender, can I get the most expensive bottle of anything you have and put it on my friends tab!" He smiled at Toby before he said."At least tonight I'll have that bottle to go home and snuggle with."

"Don't you ever grow up?" Caleb interrupted as he playfully nudged Holden and greeted Toby with a fist bump.

"If I did, then I'd be a miserable old man just like you guys are." Holden teased and his friends chuckled at how Holden views there ways now that they're tied down.

"So, Toby, what's the occasion for you asking us to come out tonight?"

"I have something to tell you guys and trust me you're going to lose your mind." Toby said before took a big gulp of his drink. He recapped the whole drama with Kate with his friends and their faces were hard to read.

"Jeez, now I understood why you needed this drink. I need a drink just hearing about this." Holden said as he waved over the bartender to get something to drink.

"So, wait. Spencer didn't say anything? She just went upstairs to Aria?" Caleb as in confusion and Toby nodded his head.

"Pretty much. I'm guessing she was upset. You know the girls go to each other when they have a problem or want to talk about something important."

"Really? She didn't ask any questions about Sky? Or anything?"

"Nope." Toby said and didn't really see where Caleb was going with this.

"Maybe she was in shock." Holden spoke up."That's quite a thing to take in, Toby. She just learned that her fiancé could be a father and she could have to become a stepmother."

"I know. I don't know how I'd feel if Spencer got pregnant by Andrew. That's why I'm trying to cut her some slack and give her time to think about things."

The guys sat in silence for a moment. Each one thinking about today's events. A baby changes everything. It was worrying Toby that Spencer might leave him just because of this incident.

"What if she's not yours?" Caleb said

"What?" Toby and Holden said in unison as they have Caleb a questioning look.

"Just think about it. Kate hasn't contacted you in years, but all of a sudden she's living next door to you and telling you that you're a father. If she already lied about not having the paternity test, what makes you think that she's telling the truth that Sky might be yours." Caleb explained and that was turning a few screws in Toby's head, but not enough.

"No, she wouldn't lie. She's got no reason to lie to me after all these years."

"Yeah, she does, dude. You got possibly got her pregnant in high school and then dumped her." Holden said."I'd still be pissed at you too."

Toby pulled out the baby picture of Sky and placed it on the bar for his friends to see."Tell what you think now."

He watched his friends pick the picture and examine to for themselves. Their facial expressions changed when they saw it.

"Well, she kind of does have your eyes." Holden said as he took another long hard state at the picture.

"Wait a minute. You said Kate was fooling around with some guy named Noel. Do you know what he looks like? He could have blue eyes too. Have you tried to contact him?" Caleb asked and Toby hesitantly shook his head."Toby...do you want Sky to be yours?"

"Yes. No. I don't know." Toby let out a sigh of frustration and drank another sip of his drink."I just want to know. I don't want to make the mistake of missing out on her life if she's mine."

"I get it, Toby. I'd do the same thing if I were in your shoes, but you have to be prepared if she's not yours. And what you need to do right now his go home to your woman and make sure she's okay." Caleb instructed as he handed him back the baby picture and called the bartender over to pay the tab.

"Thanks, guys. I really needed this tonight."

"Well, that's what were here for. When you need us we'll be there, man." Holden said and gave his friend a friendly pat on the back.

Toby said goodbye to his friends and left the bar. He had to go home. He had to make sure, Spencer was okay.

It was quiet when he got home. The whole house was pitch black dark. That meant the women must be asleep, so he tried to be as quiet as possible. He walked into the kitchen to get himself a little snack.

As he was skimming the fridge, he felt her. She didn't need to say anything because he felt her presence. He turned and there she was standing the doorway.

"You left." She said as she stepped more into the dimly lit kitchen.

"Yeah, I went out with Caleb and Holden. I though you might want some space to think about what I told you earlier this afternoon." He explained and closed the fridge before he made his way over to Spencer."Where did you think I went?"

"I thought you might have left...because of the way I acted when you told."

He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into a hug. He kissed the top of her head when she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tighter.

"I would never leave you. I understand that you reacted that way because I'd do the same thing if you told me that you had a kid with Andrew or Alex."

She didn't want to look him the eyes anymore, so she buried her head in his chest."I want you to do it. I want you to find her. You need to know the truth."

"Really?" He pulled back from her to look into her eyes."You'd be okay with me doing that?"

"Yeah, if this is really important to you, then find her."

He kissed as a way to show his appreciation. Even though, he didn't notice the sadness in her voice or the shame on her heart. She didn't want him to know what happened all those years ago. They already had enough on their plate, she didn't want to add anything else.

"You know, Holden was on my back tonight about how whipped I've become ever since we started dating."

"Well, you are whipped." She kissed his neck and trailed her hands down his chest."I've got you wrapped around my finger."

"It's okay because I can get something that Holden can't get every night."

"And what is that?" She asked trying to play coy.

He swiftly picked her up, so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He gave her a long kiss before he pulled back and said."I get you." He carried them out of the kitchen and to the bedroom.

Next Chapter: Someone did know that Spencer was pregnant. Spoby's anniversary, but one of them will forget. Someone close to Toby gets hurt. Toby finally sees Andrew and confronts him. Someone reveals they are having a critical medical problem.