Chapter 3:

"I swear to God, Toby, if you don't get rid of that alarm, I'm leaving you." Spencer groaned, her voice muffled by the pillow she buried herself in.

Toby chuckled and she could hear the creek of his footsteps as they rounded the corner of the bed. He clicked off the loud, fire-alarm-resembling clock.

Usually, the Saturday morning routine for them was that they'd both wake up around the same time – typically naked and tangled up in the sheets – and spend the morning lounging around in Toby's apartment near Hollis. Spencer would often pull one of Toby's t-shirts over her head and make them coffee while he showered and readied himself for work.

"Why are you up?" Spencer asked softly as he knelt beside her and pulled all the hair away from her face, dropping a kiss on her forehead.

"I have an early work day." He replied. He already had his tool belt in his hand, wearing a pair of beat up jeans and a maroon t-shirt. "As much as I wish I could fall back under the covers with you for the next two hours, if I don't get to work, I'll be out of a job, and soon there won't be an apartment for us to sleep in."

"I'm perfectly fine with sharing a cardboard box in an alley with you." Spencer said softly, her eyelids fluttering shut again.

Toby chuckled. "Oh no, I'm sure we'd live in my truck, at least."

"Naturally." Spencer teased, smiling softly. "And instead of watching reruns of Friends on Saturday nights, we'd watch the stars."

"Of course." Toby replied, his voice in faux agreement. He stroked her hair for a second longer and kissed her forehead again, "I really have to go."

"Mmm-mmm." Spencer shook her head sleepily, her arms reaching out and grabbing fistfuls of his t-shirt, tugging his to her. "Five more minutes."

"Spence…"

"Please?" She pleaded, rolling onto her back.

"Fine." He sighed, dropping his tool belt with a 'thunk' and fell onto the mattress beside her, enveloping her lips in a warm kiss softly.

"Mmmm. You cave so easily." Spencer giggled against his mouth.

"Shut up." He smiled. "You're lucky I can survive your morning breath."

Even after four years, Spencer and Toby still had the relationship of teenagers – completely, totally in love, with a handful of disagreements and a whole lot of romance. Well, really, they were a cross between Romeo and Juliet and Spencer's grandparents – crazy in love, yet still like they had been together forever.

"You know, in some alternate life, we must have been married for some great many years." She said as Toby kissed along her jaw line. "Probably fifty."

"And I'm sure it was a beautiful wedding." Toby agreed.

"Oh, the best." Spencer nodded, raking her fingers through his hair. "And Audrey Jane was the flower girl at our vow renewal."

Toby chucked. "You're still on that? Even in an alternate universe, our daughter's name will be Audrey Jane?"

"Our daughter's name will be Audrey Jane in every universe. So get right with it."

"Well, what if we have a boy first? Then where would you be? You'd be quite in a pickle, now wouldn't you?"

"Please. We'd keep having kids until we have an Audrey Jane."

"Wow. That sounds a bit rushed, now, don't you think? Thirteen boys just to get your Audrey Jane?"

"Well, whatever. We're having an Audrey Jane first. I can feel it."

Toby laughed and ran his hands through her hair, flipping her onto back and balancing on all fours above her. She giggled and kissed him again. It felt like they were in their own little world – like they were back at Myrtle Beach, oh-so-many years ago, letting all their troubles fall with the waves.

Pressing a lingering kiss to her neck, Toby sighed. "Alright, this time, I really have to go."

"Mmm…" Spencer sighed, but nodded. "Alright. Go make some money, Romeo." She teased.

"Well, if my memory serves me correctly, you are to meet little miss Aria for coffee in…whoops, twenty minutes." Toby rolled off of her and got to his feet, stooping to pick up the tool belt.

"Ugh, don't remind me." Spencer groaned, rolling onto her elbow. "That girl has me practically drowning in wedding plans."

"Only because she knows that you'll make it perfect." Toby gave her a soft, crooked smiled and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "See you tonight, Juliet." He said, rising and heading for the door. A few minutes later, Spencer heard the sound of apartment door closing, followed by the muffled shuffle of keys locking the door behind him.

Spencer sat up in bed and stretched out her sleep-coated limbs. As if on cue, her phone beeped on Toby's nightstand. She groaned and reached out for it. Holding it in front of her face, the message read.

Hey girl! Wanna meet at the mall for coffee instead? – bring the plans! – Aria

"Ugh." Spencer groaned, flopping back against the pillows. Saturday morning relaxation would have to wait.

"Ooh, love that." Aria said approvingly, peering at Spencer over the top of the wedding plans binder. Spencer had given it to her to look over while they had coffee at The Bean, a coffee shop in the Rosewood mall, right beside Nordstrom. Since Aria's engagement party was a mere two weeks away, the newly engaged, bride-to-be invited Spencer to accompany her in selecting the perfect dress to wear. Unfortunately, Hanna, who would have been more than happy to attend, had been roped into attending her father's fiftieth birthday party. Isabel had thrown it, whom Hanna was still not on perfect terms with, which made the experience "all the more horrible," as Hanna had so lovingly put it.

"Thanks." Spencer grinned. She took another sip of her chai tea latte and watched as Aria flipped through the next few pages.

"Aww!" A huge grin broke out on Aria's face, "The poem? You're going to print the poem and frame it with the flowers at the entrance to the church? Aw, Spence! You know what, I don't care what everyone says, you are such a romantic!"

"Wait, who says I'm not romantic?" Spencer put down her coffee cup and knit her eyebrows.

"Uh, no one…" Aria said, her eyes flashing back to the page. "So, have you picked out what maid of honor dress you want?"

"Pardon?"

"Your maid of honor dress. You didn't think that you were going to plan this lovely wedding without being in it, did you?" Aria said with a knowing grin.

"Oh, Aria!" Spencer smiled. "You really mean it?"

"Of course. You will be my maid of honor, won't you?"

"Of course I will!" Spencer reached across the table and locked her friend in a tight hug. "I'd be honored!"

"Good." Aria grinned when Spencer pulled back. "But before we worry about that, we have to think about the engagement party. I'm thinking…Paris themed. Now, finish that latte so we can get crackin' on some fab outfit to wear."

"That is fierce." Aria nodded towards the red dress Spencer was examining with scrutiny.

"Hmm?" She looked up. "Oh, yeah, it's alright."

"Try it on!" Aria encouraged.

The two girls had found themselves Sadie's, a boutique in the mall, after finding no luck on outfits in Nordstrom, Macy's, or even JCPenney's.

"Really? It's a little…loud for me." Spencer said, eyeing the low neckline and slit up the leg. The dress was floor length – which was completely appropriate for the occasion, due to Aria's demand for formal dress attire, but…it just seemed to 'out there' for Spencer.

"No, it's perfect. You, my darling, have to turn heads. If you wear this, I guarantee that guys will be checking you out from every angle."

"I have a boyfriend, you know." Spencer replied as Aria ushered her to the empty changing rooms.

"What, Toby doesn't want some healthy competition?"

"Well, that would be fine if there were any competition…" Spencer sighed as Aria pressed her into a changing room and shut the door.

"I'm kidding, you know I love Toby. But hey, don't you think that it will be him who likes that dress best?" Aria said in a suggestive tone through the door.

"Don't you think that it's you that we should be shopping for?"

"Puh-lease, I have plenty of options. Right now, I just want you to try on that dress."

"Fine." Spencer surrendered and began to tug her cardigan and boots off. "So have you talked to your parents recently?" She asked.

"Hm." Aria shrugged. "A little. It's pretty obvious that this wedding won't go down without some strain on their part, but they want me to be happy. And I know that they can learn to love Ezra as much as I do. I mean, look at your folks. They accept Toby just fine."

"Yeah, if they look past the fact that he's not some hoity-toity lawyer, and the fact that they aren't in the know that I spend most weekends in his apartment." Spencer muttered.

"Well, they did look past it, and they don't know that, so all's well in love and war."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Spencer snorted. "Love is a battlefield."

"Tell me about it." Aria groaned. "Hey, are you done yet, slowpoke?"

"Just about." Spencer replied. "You might have to zip it for me."

"Come on out."

Spencer obeyed, opening the door and stepping out into the cream foyer of the dressing rooms. Aria grabbed her shoulders and turned her, zipping up the low zipper with one quick "zip". When Spencer turned around to face her again, Aria gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth.

"What? Is it really that bad?" Spencer asked, peering down at her body swathed in the red chiffon.

"No, it's perfect, Spencer! Look!" Aria stepped to the side and let Spencer peer into the three-paned mirror.

Wow. Spencer had to admit, the dress was something. Deep red chiffon with a long slit up the left side, the dress definitely made a statement. It was low cut, but not as low as she thought it would be. The halter neckline gave it a fun touch.

"Yeah, I like it." Spencer decided.

"Really? Good. Because you're getting it. And if you don't get it, then I'm buying it and forcing you to wear it." Aria clapped her hands with excitement. "Oh, this is going to be perfect!"

Spencer laughed. "Alright, I'm going to change back so that we can find a dress for you." She stepped back into the changing room and shut the door, beginning to undress.

"Oh, Spence, I forgot to tell you…" Aria started.

"Yeah?"

"I invited Melissa to the engagement party."

Spencer's heart thudded to a stop and suddenly the room was deathly quiet.

One beat.

Two beats.

Three beats.

Spencer was the first to break the silence. "Why?" She asked.

"I mean, she's your sister, Spence. And I thought that you guys were on good terms."

"We are. It's her husband I'm not on good terms with." Spencer muttered.

"Oh come on, Spence. It can't be that bad. Plus, you guys had a fling four years ago. And you've both moved on."

"Well, I have, that's for sure. But Wren still hits on me every chance he gets. And it's not only awkward for me, but it's unfair to his wife! Melissa went through hell when she found out that the baby was really Wren's, and the only real reason she took his back is because she wanted baby Taylor to have a father. The least Wren could do is respect her."

"Well, tell him that."

"Don't you think I've tried?" Spencer asked, tugging on her left boot and reaching for her cardigan. "He's like a brick wall. For him, it's unlearnable."

"Alright, I'm sorry. Just…make sure you don't sit at the same table. And Toby will be with you all night, so unless Wren is a demented moron on a suicide mission, I say he'll hold off on the flirting."

"Fine." Spencer said tightly. She opened the door and picked up her purse. "But if he makes one crack about massaging my "sore bursa sac," you won't see another morning." She warned.

Aria grinned and chuckled. "Whatever you say, Spence."