This chapter is one of the last. There will be one more long chapter from Spencer's POV, and then a short-ish epilogue; this is assuming that everything goes according to plan.

Thanks so much for the support. Please review. It's the only way I know whether you like what I'm writing or not! Okay byee.

Chapter 18

TPOV

He couldn't take his eyes off of her. The sense of awe and wonder in her eyes was something that he never knew that he was missing in his life. When she agreed to be his girlfriend he thought he had gotten all that he ever wanted, but he was wrong. He wanted her to be happy and whole, and if this is what she needed to do that; if this was what she needed to be the Spencer that she wanted to be, he couldn't be any more thrilled for her. Just when he thought that she couldn't get any more beautiful she proved him wrong again and again.

He ran his fingers down her jaw bone. Usually he would have been able to focus on nothing but the dull bruises on her face from the surgery. He treated her like she was fragile, he knew that. But it wasn't something he would ever be able to stop. You always took care of what mattered the most to you. But right now he could on focus on the most pressing issue. "And you can really see?"

She laughed and nodded, catching his hand as though to prove her point. She brought his wrist to her lips, brushing them over the hallow between the two bones. "I can see."

He grinned and leaned in, not being able to stop himself from kissing her. "You can see! I know I was optimistic with you, but I was preparing myself for the worst. And I never expected- you can see," his voice dropped to a husky whisper. "Spencer, you can see."

"I love you," she said softly, matching his volume. "I don't think that I'm ever going to be able to fully express how much I love you."

"Spencer-" he tried to interrupt her, but she just shook her head.

"No Toby, seriously," she murmured. "You loved me even when you thought there was no possibility of my ever seeing. I never-" she bit down hard on her lip and turned to look out the window. "I never thought that I would find anyone to put up with all of my baggage. But there you were, grabbing a hold of it and helping me carrying it. And I just love you so much. You saw me as whole even when I thought of myself as less than that. You didn't let my disability get in the way, and-" She cut herself off, tears gleaming in her eyes.

"It never felt hard, Spence," he said, putting a gentle hand on her face and turned it in his direction. Now that she could see he never wanted to take his eyes off of her. It was like it was another part of her for him to fall in love with. Her eyes looked so similar but completely new at the same time. Now they had comprehension and depth. They weren't just beautiful any longer. Now he could see her in them; he could see who she was, what she was thinking and what she was feeling.

She leaned into his hand. "I know. But to most other people it would have, so that's kind of the point," she paused. "This is all overwhelming, and kind of scary," she admitted softly. "I used to be able to see, but I was a kid and it all looked so different. And the last time I could see..." she trailed off, clearly not wanting to talk about her father's death.

"You're bigger now," he smiled. "Things are made differently, I guess," he added as an after thought. It must be terrifying to wake up to an entirely different world. He could barely remember being that young, yet alone how different the world was. Literally everything looked different. "If you don't understand something you know you can ask me, right?"

Her cheeks colored. "You're the only one that I would ask."

He frowned and brushed a soft hand over her cheek. "There's no reason for you to feel embarrassed, Spence. Not with me or with anyone else."

She didn't answer for awhile. "Your eyes are so blue," she said softly, reaching out and brushing her fingers along his cheek bone. "I know you said they were, but it's just- they're really beautiful."

He laughed and ducked down to kiss her forehead. "Right back at you, sweetheart."

"Spencer!"

She winced, squinting her eyes as Hanna, Emily, her mom, and his mom trailed into the room. "Hi," she said softly, biting down out her lip and diverting her gaze to the sheets.

He touched her wrist and stood up. It had to be the lights. He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it earlier. They were probably hurting her eyes. He dimmed the lights and quickly returned to her side. As soon as he was back against the edge of the bed she clumsily snagged his hand. He smiled and brought her knuckles to his lips, tuning back in to the conversation.

"-and Caleb is getting you some flowers. I told him to bring the brightest, prettiest ones he could find. But they'll probably be ugly because he's Caleb. Oh, maybe I should go help him."

Spencer smiled. "I'm sure they'll be perfect, Han."

Hanna squinted. "Wait, how did you know it was me?"

Spencer and Emily laughed simultaneously. The moms exchanged a confused look, and he just rolled his eyes. "She was blind not deaf, Hanna."

Hanna looked blankly for a second before laughing. "Oh. So do I look like you imagined?"

"Pretty much exactly," Spencer gave a raspy laugh.

He smiled, more memories flooding his mind.

He kicked the ball and ran lazily back to Spencer. "Are you okay?"

Spencer smiled and tilted her face in his direction. "Just petting the dog," she yawned, scratching behind Tyrion's ears. "Maybe this monster isn't so bad."

Tyrion yelped like he understood her, and they laughed together for a second. "Toby?" She asked him softly.

He sat down, hearing the serious tone of her voice. "What's up?"

She bit down on her lip, causing something to stir up in his chest. "Nevermind."

He sighed. "What's going on, Spence?"

"I don't know," she muttered. "I guess I'm just reflecting on how absolutely pathetic it is that I need a dog to lead me around. But I'm also kind of grateful for a lot. And I'm just confused."

He smiled. "That's not a question though."

She sighed. "I was just thinking that it was pretty sad that I wouldn't even recognize myself if I could see."

Would there ever be a time where she ceased to break his heart? "You would recognize yourself," he said seriously. "You would, because you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen." He was blushing wildly, and for the very first time he was glad that she couldn't see his face.

He squeezed Spencer's hand and ducked down to gently brush a kiss over her forehead. "I'll be right back." Without waiting for any protests he got up and walked through the door. He wished that he could just take her to the bathroom, but she needed to not move. He walked as fast as his feet would take him to the nurse's station.

It was hard to be charming when he was feeling so frantic, but he took a deep breath and plastered on his friendliest smile. "Hi, I was wondering if any of you had a mirror that I could borrow?"

The youngest nurse wrinkled her forehead as she dug through her desk drawer. "What do you need it for?"

To look at himself in the mirror, what did she think? "My girlfriend, she just got surgery-"

She gasped. "Oh! Oh, it worked?" She smiled widely, much more enthusiastic than she had been. "Yes, take the mirror! Give her well wishes from me."

Usually he would have been more congenial, but he just took the mirror and hurried back through the halls, retaking his spot by Spencer's side. "I brought you something, he said softly, sliding her the mirror. "Once you told me that you were worried you wouldn't recognize yourself. I doubt that's true, but maybe it's time that the two of you got reacquainted."

She bit down on her lip. She fumbled with the mirror for a second, her depth perception still a little bit off. It was hard for her, but in the end she blinked a few times, flipped the mirror open, and looked at her face. He didn't need a verbal thank you, because the gratitude in her eyes was more than enough. In one moment, in one day, he had gotten all that he had ever hoped for and not known that he could ever get.

It wouldn't be an easy road, but it would be one that was more than worth traveling down. She was worth everything.