Hope you guys like it! Let me know what you think!

Also, literally I'm going to lose my shit defending Toby. I really am. This is mostly a tumblr problem, but I've gotten a little of it in reviews on various stories. Nicest way I can say this, if you think that Toby doesn't have a plan... if you don't see that he is still doing everything that he can to protect Spencer, then I don't know what to say to you. He has proven who he is over five seasons, and he's done nothing to deserve all the hate he's getting. But if you would like to discuss this further shoot me a PM. :)

Chapter 7

SPOV

It was like something inside of her changed. It wasn't that she felt whole, because she hadn't felt that way since she lost her vision. But it was as close as she had felt since that day.

Everything hurt. That was the first thing that she noticed. From her head to her toes, every part of her body ached. But that was a trivial detail when she opened her eyes to blackness. She whimpered quietly, as scared as she had ever been.

"Spencer?"

She jumped at the noise and jumped again when she felt a gentle hand on her face. "Mommy?" She whispered, her voice quivering. "Mommy, why can't I see?"

"Do you remember what happened?" She asked her quietly.

"No," she started to cry. "No. Mommy, I can't see. Why can't I see?"

She felt her hand run through her hair. "You were in a car accident, Spencer. Your eyes- they were damaged. The doctors aren't sure if you'll be able to see anymore."

At that moment she lost herself, but somehow Toby was helping her to feel whole again.

"Are you ready to go home?" Emily asked after dropping Hanna off.

"Not if Melissa's still there. I'll come back here myself if I have to." She truly loved her sister, bust he couldn't be around her right now without feeling the immensity of her betrayal.

She felt Toby's arm snaking around her waist. "Just drop us off at my house, Em. I'll bring her home later."

Just twenty four hours ago she would have had to force herself to stay upright, but so much had changed. She leaned into his side and turned her face into his neck. It was comforting, the most comforting thing that she had ever experienced. She knew that her mom loved her, but she would also pick Melissa over her. It was just a fact. But Toby? Toby would always be on her side, and nothing felt better than that. She was indescribably grateful for his presence in her life.

She was crying. She knew that it was stupid, but she couldn't stop herself. She ran her cane along the ground until she found the built-in, brick bench. She carefully lowered herself down and curled up into a ball. She couldn't hide the fact that she was emotional, but perhaps she could hide her tears.

She clenched her hands into fists, her nails digging into her skin. It stung, but it didn't help. Nothing helped. It had seven years, but it still hurt as bad as it had the day it happened. Why did it still hurt? Why couldn't she move on?

"Spencer?"

Her heart jumped even as her body clenched at the sudden voice. She felt his hand on her arm, but she didn't relax. She didn't know that she could even if she tried. ''I'm fine."

Toby wrapped a solid feeling arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "No you're not," he muttered, running a soft hand up and down her bare arm. "and why should you be? I'm so sorry."

"You remembered?" she whispered, a warm feeling spreading out from her chest. It did more to bring her mind from the memories of crunching glass and no one being around to hear her screams that anything else had. She didn't know why she expected anything less from him.

He passed her a warm cup. "I would have been here earlier, but I stopped to get you some coffee. I thought that it might help."

"Thank you." And it wasn't for the coffee. What would she do without him?

Emily and Toby's soft, murmuring voices were the background noise to the frantic working of her mind. She had agreed to this, and she didn't regret it. Even if it wasn't something that she had allowed herself to admit, even to herself, until recently, it was still so true. But she was terrified that he would grow to resent her, and now she didn't think that she would ever be able to live without him now.

There was something about Toby, he was so kind and gentle, but he was also so loyal and protective. He was the best that humanity had to offer and she was decidedly not. He deserved better than her, vision limitations aside.

"Spence? We're at my house, so I'm going to help you." He pressed a familiar piece of rough fabric into her hand. "Here's Tyrion."

"Do you want me to take him home with me, Spence?" Em asked from the front seat.

She snorted. "So Melissa can skin him and eat him for dinner? No thanks."

Toby laughed. "Well that's morbid. We're definitely taking him now." He grabbed her forearms and gently steadied her as she shifted from the car. Tyrion's soft fur brushed against her legs as he followed her and Toby. "Do you want to hang out here or go somewhere?"

"I'm kind of hungry," she admitted. She didn't want to be needy, but he would notice if she didn't say anything. He was dependable in that way.

He wrapped an arm around her waist. "Okay the steps are right here. Three of them, remember?"

She shivered at the closer contact and leaned into him as she stepped. Usually they made her nervous because they were kind of steep, but she honestly didn't think that it was possible to feel more secure in that moment.

The door squeaked as it opened and he guided her inside first. "Mom?"

"In the kitchen, baby!"

She smiled. She loved Mrs. Cavanaugh, and she was glad that Toby had her. He deserved more happiness and smiles than he was allowed in his early years. Toby linked his arm with hers, but it wasn't necessary because Tyrion loved Mrs. Cavanaugh as much as she did. She felt him perk up and the leash jerk as he led them to the kitchen.

Mrs. Cavanaugh let out a squeal that was akin to something that a ten year old girl would make. "Is that my favorite dog in the whole world? You two can go, Tyrion and I need to bond."

Toby laughed. "If we leave he'll start yelping like you stabbed him or something. He doesn't like to be away from her."

"Details," she muttered, her voice closer than it had been before. From the feel of Tyrion's tail smacking into her leg she could only assume that Mrs. Cavanaugh was petting him. "Are you two hungry? I was just getting ready to make some sandwiches."

Toby spoke before she could downplay the fact that it felt like her stomach was digesting itself. "Yep. We're starved. Spencer's stomach sounds like gravel in a blender."

She gasped and elbowed him in the side. "Maybe I'm a little hungry," she admitted with a laugh.

Toby walked her over and helped her onto a stool. "I'll be right back."

As soon as his footsteps faded Mrs. Cavanaugh opened the fridge. "So what's going on between you and my son, Spencer?"

She coughed. "Excuse me?" She thought that they were being subtle. It wasn't that she minded that Mrs. Cavanaugh knew that her relationship with Toby had changed, it was just indescribable that she realized that anything was different between them when they were acting exactly the same. "Um-"

"Relax," she chuckled. "Your mom and I have seen this coming since you were ten. We actually had a bet on when you'd end up together. Speaking of that, she owes me $20."

"Are you kidding?" She laughed, but she felt her face heating up. How was this obvious to everyone but her?

"Yes, but I'm starting to think that I should have made a bet."

She heard Toby's footsteps come back into the room. "What are you guys talking about?"

"We're busted," she shrugged, still laughing.

"What? Oh-" he sounded like he was cringing and it was only increasing her laughter. "Um, I love you, mom?"

"Yeah, yeah," Mrs. Cavanaugh muttered, but she could hear a smile in her voice. "Ham or turkey?"

It was weird that it took something so mundane for her to realize it, but maybe everything would be okay.