Rosewood, May 2011

The ceremony had been lovely. Well, as lovely as can be watching your father take the definitive step out of your life. Of course he promised nothing was going to change, that he would always be there for his daughter, his little 'piggy'. Hanna didn't know what made her cringe more: the hideous nickname, reminder of days she want all but forget; or the man's empty promises.

The situation with Spencer, however, was what preoccupied her mind the most. The two had spent the whole morning avoiding each other when it was possible, but the silence was starting to grow too heavy. They had to talk and address that huge, pink elephant in the room at some point, sooner rather than later. Or, at least, that was what Hanna kept telling herself; in reality, she was really the one to blame for the whole procrastination thing. In fact, Spencer kept gazing at her every now and then - a meaningful, if not purposeful look in her eyes. But then, when she actually tried to make a move, something inevitably kept coming between them. Like now.

They were at the wedding's reception, sharing the table with their two best friends and some of Hanna's relatives, when the band started to play and people began to gather in the middle of the dancefloor. Aria, Emily and the others stood up and went too, leaving Spencer and Hanna alone. Not the best of times, but it probably would have been their best opportunity to try and talk things out; and that was exactly what Spencer was about to do. Of course, someone had to disagree with her plan.

"Spenceyyy! Let's go dance too!" Grace all but yelled, bouncing on the balls of her feet. Without waiting for an answer, she took the brunette's hand and all but dragged her along with her.

Hanna let out a long sigh. She wasn't sure if it was out of relieve, frustration or disappointment. She resigned herself to watch Spencer from afar dancing and laughing with her cousin. She couldn't help the soft, loving smile that tugged at her lips and the swelling of her heart at the sight: Spencer was awkwardly trying to balance the little girl on her feet while spinning around in circles. Grace gripped tightly onto the tall brunette's hands, but the expression of glee on her face and her giggles were enough to understand that she was having the time of her life. In that moment, Hanna was not proud to admit that she was envious of a six year old.

Someone, however, noticed the wistful look on her face, and decided it was about time to push things in the right direction. 'Aaah, youngsters these days…'

Spencer felt a hand tapping her shoulder and, when she turned around, she saw it was none other than Mrs. Regina Marin, an empty glass of champagne in one hand. She frowned.

"Hey, don't you think you should invite my other niece there to dance, too?" she asked rhetorically, pointing as discretely as she could towards Hanna.

Not that the blonde had noticed them talking, since she was being chatted up by some guy in the last few minutes. Spencer's frown deepened.

"Uh, I don't think she want to. Besides, I wouldn't want to impose…" the young brunette replied. She tried to mask the annoyance in her voice with a polite smile, but the older woman knew better. Figures.

"Who, him? Please." she scoffed. "Honey, trust me, he's harmless. Now go and make that girl happy". There was definitely a smirk on her face and in her voice.

Spencer was taken aback, but only for a moment. She shook her head, smiling fondly to herself at this amazingly sharp woman. Then she crouched in front of Grace.

"Hey sweetie, I need to talk to your cousin about something. Will you excuse me for a bit?"

"Uh, okay" the kid nodded; "but then you teach me Waltz, you promised" she flashed her a dimpled smile.

"Why of course, m'lady" the brunette winked and ruffled her hair, then walked away, leaving behind a satisfied woman and a slightly confused child.

"C'mon honeybunch, grandma needs a refill" Regina said, taking her niece's hand and guiding her through the tables to the bar. The child shrugged but tagged along.

Meanwhile, Spencer took a last moment to brace herself before approaching Hanna and her interlocutor at their table.

"Ahem" she cleared her throat as a way of making her presence known; "Pardon my intrusion" she started, "but I really need to talk with you" she said looking straight into the blonde's eyes.

"Well, guess you'll have to try to come back later. She's busy right now" the prick Hanna was talking to replied.

Spencer probably would have punched him - if she actually had heard him, that's it. Instead, she was too focused on the girl in front of her. They both were lost in each other's eyes.

"Han, dance with me…" It was half a question, half a statement. Spencer's voice was low, raspier than usual, almost shy. Uncertain. But her gaze never wavered when she offered her hand to the blonde. Hanna nodded, swallowing hard, but silently took it. She let herself be guided onto the dancefloor, where hundreds of people mingled together. It was so packed they could have easily lost themselves in the crowd, had they not been holding each other's hands for dear life.

They came to face each other; Spencer placed her hands on Hanna's hips and the blonde's arms automatically went on the taller girl's shoulders, clasping around her neck. The band was playing some sort of slow dancing and the couple began to sway to the soothing rhythm. They stayed like that for a while, relishing the feeling of being together in such an intimate way.

Then, Spencer slightly bent over, her lips brushing Hanna's ear.

"This is nice" she rasped; her hot breath slid along the smaller girl's neck, sending a shiver down her spine.

"It is…" Hanna nodded, subconsciously pressing her body more firmly against Spencer's.

The brunette tightened her grip and sighed. "We need to do some serious talk, don't you think?"

"Yes" the blonde allowed. "But can't we just… can't we just be in this bubble, for now?"

"We could, but then when the bubble will bursts what do we will have left?" Spencer whispered. She planted a soft, feathered kiss to the other girl's temple; "I have a feeling that if we don't sort things out now, we'll keep dancing around this endlessly and, as much as I love dancing with you, I hope that at the end of the day we will get into… other, more interesting activities" she said, wiggling her eyebrows comically at the innuendo.

"So, is that all is to you? Is it just that?" Hanna pulled back suddenly, shoving Spencer off. She was stricken. And livid. She ran off before she could further embarrass herself showing just how much the brunette's words had hurt her.

"Wait! Hanna!" Spencer shouted, but her voice was lost, overpowered by the music reverberating in the large room. When her mind finally caught up with what had just happened, she took off and ran after Hanna. She found her outside in the garden, sat on a bench, in tears.

"Hey, hey, Han please don't cry! I'm such an idiot" Spencer immediately kneeled down in front of her. She moved to take the girl's hand in her own but Hanna snatched it away.

"Yes, yes you are!" she suddenly stood up, nearly knocking Spencer on the ground; "I can't believe you! I thought you were different, I thought you were this kind, dorky but incredibly chivalrous type, always there for me. I had this distorted image of you being my own personal princess charming; I spent years mooning over you, waiting for the day you actually realized you had feelings for me, dreaming about you and I together. How delusional of me, uh? I am the real idiot here, they were all right! Alison when she told me that all you were capable to feel for me was pity; and Kate, when she tried to warn me about you! She told me what you did to that girl at the camp, and I didn't want to believe them! But now… now, I guess I know that all I am for you is a good fuck, right?". By the time she finished her rant, she had stopped crying and the tears had now dried. All she felt in this moment was emptiness.

Spencer, on the other hand, was still. She was having a hard time processing all the things Hanna had just said – or rather, blurted out – to her. In less than two minutes her world had completely gone upside down. 'She thought of me as… wait, she dreamed about us? Together? Does she… does she feel the same way? But why is she this mad? She can't be possibly this mad over that stupid thing I said without thinking? Wait, wait, wait: Ali? Kate? Oh no. Shit. Shit, shit, shit! I need to explain her! Shit, say something Spencer, dammit!'. When she came back from her musings she noticed that Hanna was still there, but her expression was, well… vacant. It was similar to the one she saw the night before, when Hanna had suddenly kissed her. 'Oh God, this is such a mess', she thought.

"Hanna, please, it's not what you think. At all. I can explain, please let me explain!" Spencer didn't mind begging at this point. "Whatever Kate told you, is not true! I mean, yeah it's true about me and that girl, Lauren, but I'm sure that…"

"I don't even care about that, Spencer! Don't you get it?! For Christ's sake, Spence, I don't care about anything else, all I ever wanted to know is…" Hanna cried out, her voice choked by a new wave of sobs.

"What?" Spencer whispered, her voice broken too. "What do you want to know, Hanna? I'll tell you anything, and I'll tell you the truth. Always"

"I just want to know about your heart. I won't be curious about anything else, just… please, just tell me how you really feel. Even if it is going to hurt"

"Han, look at me"; she waited until the blonde did so, "I…"

"Here you are! We were looking for you everywhere" Emily interrupted. "Hanna, your father wants you and Kate inside. It's almost time for your speech" she informed.

"Hey, but… is everything alright?" Aria asked concerned, seeing the disheveled appearance of her blonde friend and the trepidation in Spencer's eyes.

"… I need to go to the restroom" Hanna mumbled and walked away. Emily shared a glance with the others before following the blonde.

"Spence, what happened?" the small brunette asked again.

"I… I'm not sure myself" is all she offered in response, before she too made her way inside.

Despite the swirling of emotions and the turmoil in her heart, Hanna managed to get through her speech without much trouble. Everyone in the room applauded and the band started to play again. She tiredly dragged herself back to her table, but Spencer intercepted her on her way.

"Can we resume our talk?" she asked quietly, eyes downcast.

"I'm tired, Spence" Hanna sighed. Of what, precisely, she didn't know.

"Please…" the brunette tried, but to no avail as Hanna already passed her and went to take her seat at their table, where were the others now too. Meaning, end of the conversation. She resigned and made her way back, too.

Another hour went by between small talk and prolonged silences. 'Why has it always to be this way between us?' the tall brunette thought, pushing away the slice of cake in her plate with her fork.

"Uh, Hanna… why is your grandmother singing?" Emily asked perplexed. The woman was clearly drunk and had swatted away the lead singer of the band, taking her place, claiming to know a much larger repertoire. This elicited some laughs, along with the embarrassed apologies of his son. Soon enough, however, other guests who had appreciated the idea decided to join the fun, effectively transforming the whole thing into some sort of impromptu karaoke.

"Because she can. Duh" Hanna replied matter-of-factly.

Spencer was absentmindedly listening on the conversation going on between her friends while observing the people going on and off of the stage. Something suddenly snapped in her head: Hanna didn't want to talk, alright, but if Spencer went to sing something to her, then she was forced to listen to what she had yet to say. Maybe it wasn't the most brilliant idea of her life, but it was all she had right in this moment, and she really had to clear things with her… friend? Somehow, it was weird define Hanna only as her friend, now.

So she abruptly stood up, much to the surprise of her dinner companions, and strode across the hall with purpose. She even stole a glass of champagne abandoned on one of the tables, swallowing it hastily. 'Liquid courage. As if this is enough…'

She fought off the contenders for the next turn on the stage and climbed the few stairs until she reached the piano. She asked the pianist if she could play her own song and he gave her the go-ahead. So she sat, took position and a few of deep breaths, and introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Spencer and I have no idea why I'm here, right now" she exhaled, and someone in the crowd chuckled. "But, I guess it's the only way you'll hear me out, and it is vital to me that you listen to what I have to say, so yeah… ahem" she cleared her throat and began to play the melody that just now had popped into her head, carefully avoiding to make eye-contact with the recipient of this serenade. 'God, I can't believe I'm really doing this…'
She began to sing the words that she hoped would convey her feelings to Hanna.

You see this girl
This girl's in love with you

Spencer wouldn't know, because she was focused on playing and singing and was absolutely adamant to avoid to look in her direction, but that first two lines were enough to make Hanna gasp and start to silently cry. There was just so emotion in Spencer's voice, in her movements, in the gesture itself. Spencer was really serenading her? 'God, I can't believe this is happening' Hanna thought.

Yes I'm in love
Who looks at you the way I do?
When you smile I can tell
We know each other very well
How can I show You? I'm glad I got to know you ' cause

I've heard some talk
They say you think I'm fine
This girl's in love
And what I'd do to make you mine
Tell me now is it so?

Don't let me be the last to know
My hands are shakin'
don't let my heart keep breaking 'cause

I need your love
I want your love
Say you're in love
And you'll be my guy
If not I'll just die.

Hanna was stunned. That was hands down the most romantic gesture she ever received, and coming right from Spencer was… well, she didn't have words. When she regained control over her emotions, she noticed Emily and Aria looking at her like she had just grown two heads. Then she turned slightly her gaze to her left side and saw Spencer standing there beside her, unsure of what to do. She still couldn't bring herself to look the blonde in the eyes.

Hanna could feel her heart racing like crazy; she didn't think, she just took Spencer's arm and dragged her out in the garden once again. This was rapidly becoming their spot. Theirs. She had to smile at the pronoun.

"Did you mean it?" she asked once they reached a halt, right in front of the bench where they had that dispute just a few hours ago. Her voice was small, fragile. It reminded Spencer of the beautiful, shy, insecure child Hanna used to be. 'How much she has changed, and yet she's still the same. My sweet, innocent Hanna'.

"Every word" Spencer replied without missing a beat.

Hanna launched herself at the brunette, throwing her arms around her neck and wrapping her legs around her waist. Luckily for her, Spencer was strong and had good reflexes.

"Oough" unfortunately, that didn't prevent her to stumble a bit. She shifted slightly so to have a tight grip of the girl in her arms and walked towards the bench, sitting them down, Hanna on her lap effectively straddling her.

"Really? It was really for me?" the blonde mumbled against her neck.

"No Hanna, I was trying to hit on your uncle Gerald, you know? The gentleman with the dazzling smile?"

"My uncle is toothless" the blonde frowned. "He even lost his dentures"

"Sarcasm, Han" Spencer smiled fondly. "Ouch!" she received a smack to the back of her head.

"How can you joke about this? Right now?" She hit the brunette again, this time on her arm. "You can be so infuriating sometimes" she pouted.

And that was the most adorable thing Spencer could have sworn she had ever seen in her life. She brought a hand to Hanna's cheek, caressing it softly with the pad of her thumb.

"You're so beautiful" she whispered in amazement.

Hanna blushed furiously and averted her eyes. Then she hid her face once again in the crook of Spencer's neck.

"I'm scared" she admitted after a long silence. "This, right now, is all I ever wanted, Spence. You have no idea how much…" she continued with a broken voice. "You have no idea how much I love you, how much I want you. I resigned myself to the idea that it was never going to happen, and now is happening and I don't know…"

She was cut off by Spencer's index finger resting now onto her lips.

"Shhh" the brunette soothed. "Han, I don't know what will happen, and I'm scared too, but mostly I'm sorry for hurting you all this time. I didn't know how you felt. I didn't know how I felt, either. But now that I realized, there's no way I'm going back. So please, please, let me kiss you, because I'm dying here" she rasped her last words.

She removed her finger from the blonde's lips and, slowly, agonizingly so, replaced it with her own lips.

There weren't fireworks exploding all around, but a jolt of electricity ran through their bodies nonetheless.

Now, that was the kiss Hanna had longed for all this time; it was gentle and tender, slow. Loving. Perfect. It was like coming home after a long day. It held a sense of comfort, of belonging. And, most importantly, it held the promise of something more.

When they broke apart and Hanna opened her eyes, she found Spencer smiling goofily at her, while something shone in her eyes. She was now able to see and recognize that something as pure, unconditional, love.

Maybe it was a bit too much of a cliché, but she really did feel like her princess charming had just awakened her with that kiss.

A/N: Sooo, Spanna happened uh? Thoughts? Too cheesy? I'm just a sucker for this kind of things, ya know. Not that I would ever admit it. Besides, isn't it charming of someone to serenade their love? :D

Oh, I almost forgot: if you're wondering, the song Spencer dedicated to Hanna is "This girl's in love with you" by Dionne Warwick, but the original version is named "This guy's in love with you" by Herb Alpert. Just some fun fact, if you want to check it out, you know.

That being said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well. 'Til next time and thank you all for reading ;)