Hey guys! Regarding a question asked in the comments, about "Audrey Jane", well…it's a long, long story. Well, not too long, but… anyway, my dear friend, Bree, gave me the honor of naming the SpobyBaby "Audrey Jane" or "AJ" after me (Athena Jane - Audrey Jane, see the connection? ;) ), and it just kind of stuck. I've used Audrey Jane in reference to my story, and so have a few other of the Spobettes. It's all just a chain created by us (well, mostly Bree ;) )

Chapter 4: Party of Four…Wait, five.

Spencer first learned the art of getting through awkward situations from Alison. Before the tragedy of the teenage blonde had struck, sending the girls' lives into temporary chaos, Ali was able to play off every single awkward situation as if it didn't bother her one bit.

So, naturally, Spencer was trying to harness those skills learned as she tugged on a cream blouse and black skirt and tied her hair back into an elegant up-do, waiting for Toby to come pick her up and whisk her away to her parents' house for dinner.

Her roommate, Brielle, or 'Bree' as she was often referred to, sat on her bed and peered at Spencer over the rim of her glasses. The pale glow of her laptop illuminated her face in the otherwise shadowed room. "You know, if you keep scowling like that, your face is going to freeze forever." Bree teased, raking a hand through her hair.

Spencer laughed softly. "Don't even." She rolled her eyes and turned, leaning against the dresser. "I'm off to have dinner with my boyfriend and my parents tonight."

"Oooh…" Bree winced. "Sounds rough. Good luck, though."

"Thanks. I'm gonna need it." Spencer smiled and swung her purse onto her shoulder, grabbing her sweater and keys and heading for the door.

"Spencer, relax." Toby peered over at his less-than-calm girlfriend in the passenger's seat.

"I am relaxed. I'm…I'm good." She said, mostly to convince herself.

"Uh-huh. Then why are you twitching?"

"I'm not."

"Sure."

"Honestly, Toby, I'm fine."

"What, are you thinking that I'll screw it up?" Toby asked.

"No, of course not! It's just…well, you know my parents."

"Yes, I have met them before. And I'm forever grateful to them for giving birth to my beautiful girlfriend."

"Not the time, Toby."

"What?" Toby held up his hands in surrender, "I'm just saying. They aren't that bad. We'll be fine."

Spencer sighed. "You're right." She said. "Old habits die hard."

"If they didn't want our company, they wouldn't have invited us over."

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right. And after all, tomorrow's Saturday. And you don't have work, so we get to spend the morning how we want."

Toby reached over and took her hand, raising it to his lips and kissing it. "Just keep looking forward to that. It'll help you pull through."

Spencer smiled and leaned in to kiss his softly. "Alright. Here we go."

"Oh, and the wallpaper color was just awful." Veronica Hastings exclaimed, swirling her glass of champagne in her hand. "I mean, really, pistachio in a nursery? Horrible." She shuttered.

Spencer nodded and sipped her glass of water – still forbidden from drinking alcohol in her parents' presence until her twenty-first birthday in January. Damn October. Still three months away.

Spencer sat at the barstool beside her mother at her parents' countertop, while Toby assisted her father in barbequing the filet mignon out back. Spencer, still ever so nervous, peered over her shoulder to look out the back window so many times it appeared she had a twitch.

"But, I guess it's exciting that Annie is finally pregnant. I mean, after two miscarriages, she deserves it." Veronica said, sipping her champagne. "And Mitchell is just thrilled." Her mother went on more about Spencer's aunt Annie and her pregnancy, little of which Spencer was actually listening to. Her mind was bouncing like a pinball machine – from wedding plans, to the engagement party, to wondering what her father was yacking Toby's ear off about.

A sound behind her made Spencer jump. Peter entered through the porch door, carrying a tray of sizzling filet minion. He was wearing a smile on his face – much to Spencer's relief – and followed by Toby, who was bearing a plate filled with grilled vegetables. He grinned at her and dropped a kiss on her cheek as he passed, setting the plate beside the filet mignon of the counter.

"So, Dad, I haven't told you this yet, but Toby got a promotion at work." Spencer grinned, taking a sip of her water.

"Really?" Peter raised his eyebrows and looked over at Toby.

"Yeah." Spencer smiled. "He gets to work with some of the architects now. You know, designing some of the houses and such."

"Wow." Peter looked over at Toby, "Congratulations." He smiled.

"Thank you, sir." Toby said, in his best 'I respect you so highly' tone.

"That's great, Toby." Veronica agreed, smiling.

Spencer closed her eyes and said a quick prayer of thanks that the dinner was going so well. She never expected her parents to be so…kind. And accepting. The amount of growth that had occurred over the years was truly remarkable.

"So, Toby, tell me, how's Barbra Graytenee's house production coming along? I heard that she sued the pool company because they didn't predict the rainstorm last week, therefore pushing back production – not a shock, I might add; that woman doesn't exactly have her head on straight. Has she pulled anything on your building crew."

"Well, luckily, we haven't – " Toby started, but was cut off by the sound of knocking at the kitchen door.

"Uh, I'll get it." Spencer said, setting down her glass and getting to her feet. The room fell quiet as she opened the door. Immediately, her face broke into an enormous smile. "Jason!" She said. She pulled her half-brother into a hug, "What are you doing here?" She asked.

"Well, I heard that you were coming to dinner, and I thought I'd stop by to return the Robert Frost book you lent me." Jason said when Spencer pulled back. He held out her old copy of her favorite poet's finest works. He ran a hand through his light brown hair, his dark eyes addressing her calmly.

Over the years, Jason and Spencer had only grown closer; they needed that sense of a brother-sister relationship to get through the tragedy they shared – the loss of Alison. Of course, during the school year, Spencer wasn't exactly available to hang out with him all the time, but they made an effort to keep seeing each other.

"Oh, thanks." Spencer smiled. It was then when she became aware of how incredibly awkward it must be for her family, who was standing behind her, frozen at the counter beside Toby. She cleared her throat and peered over her shoulder.

"Well, I should…probably be going." Jason said awkwardly.

"Yeah, I'll, uh, talk to you later…"

"Actually, Jason." Veronica spoke up from behind her. Spencer whirled around to see her mother rising to her feet, a soft smile on her face. "Why don't you stay for dinner?"

"Could you please pass the salad, Mom?" Spencer asked her mother from across the table.

Of all the things that Spencer thought would never, ever happen, sitting at a civil dinner with her parents, and Toby, and Jason was at the top of the list. But nevertheless, there she was, getting passed the bowl of caesar salad while watching Jason enjoy the beer her dad had poured him.

"So, Jason, how's your job in Philadelphia going?" Toby asked Jason, spearing a chunk of steak with his fork.

"Great." Jason replied. "How's your carpentry gig working out?"

"Really good, actually." Toby smiled. "I mean, it pays the bills."

Spencer couldn't help smiling. The two men that she cared about most in the world being friends. It showed promise for fabulous family gatherings in the years to come.

"Have you talked to your mother since she moved to Seattle?" Spencer asked.

"Yeah." Jason replied, reaching for a roll of bread. "She says that she really enjoys in there."

"And uh…her husband?" Spencer didn't exactly know what to call the man that wasn't really his father – just a stand-in that truly believed he was.

"He's good, too." Jason said calmly. "He's going to join her there after he closes the deal with his company in L.A."

"That's great." Spencer replied.

A beat of silence.

"So, Jason." Spencer's father spoke up, and all four heads whirled to face him. "I was working on installing an entertainment system and lounge in the barn – since Melissa hasn't been living in it for a while." He said. "Unfortunately, I might need some help in the design plans."

Spencer bit her lip to keep back her smile and forced her gaze to her lap. Her father hadn't needed help with, well, anything for as long as Spencer could remember. And, even if he did, the most successful outcome would be to ask Toby, or someone else at his work.

But it wasn't because he wanted to best entertainment lounge. It was because Jason was his son, and he was his father.

Somehow, this night was becoming one of the most enjoyable ones of Spencer's life.

"You didn't have to do that, you know." Spencer smiled at her mother as she walked her out onto the porch. Peter and Toby were at the end of the driveway, talking to Jason while loading some leftovers into the front seat of Toby's truck. Spencer had stayed behind in the doorway to talk to her mom privately. "Invite him to stay."

"I know." Veronica smiled. "But I wanted to. Jason may not be my son, but…he's your brother. And I love you, so loving him makes too much sense to pass up."

Spencer smiled and pulled her mother into a hug. "Thank you." She murmured. "Not just for Jason, but for Toby, too. I know that you probably pictured me being with…some lawyer-to-be, or a guy in medical school, but – "

"Spencer." Her mother said seriously, looking at her intently. "Toby makes you happy. And, honestly, he's really a good kid."

"Kid?"

Veronica laughed. "Alright, a good man. I mean, the one thing that I want as a mother is to be sure that my daughter is with a man that will love her as much as we do." She put a hand on her shoulder. "And you are."

Spencer's face hurt from smiling so much; her parents had pleasantly surprised her so many times during the night. After all these years, they finally learned to see things through her eyes.

"Thank you." Spencer whispered and hugged Veronica once more. "For the dinner, and for all the lovely surprises you have given me tonight."

"You're welcome. It wasn't a problem, anyway. This state of being is long overdue; we need to be at a state of peace." She said softly, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay." Spencer said, squeezing her mother's hand one last time before heading down the stairs toward Toby's truck.

"I'd say this calls for a celebration." Toby said, settling down on the couch beside Spencer, two glasses of scotch in his hands. After leaving her parents' house, Toby and Spencer had driven back to Toby's apartment, where they changed into comfortable clothes – Spencer borrowing his old, worn blue t-shirt and a pair of sweats – and settled down to watch a movie

"Why?" Spencer gave a half-smile and looked over her shoulder from the shelf beside the TV, her fingers pausing along the spines of DVDs.

"Because, we did fabulous." Toby grinned.

Spencer chuckled. "You're right – it went exceptionally well." She said. "Alright, what movie?" She asked.

"Hmm…I think it's your choice. Because I chose last week."

"Okay, uhm…Bridget Jones' Diary." Spencer said, sliding the DVD from the shelf and popping it into the Blu-ray player she had given him for his twenty-first birthday.

"Alright, get on over here. I have a scotch waiting with your name on it."

Spencer obeyed, falling back onto the couch. He handed her the glass and put his free arm around her as the beginning of the movie started; "It all began on New Years' Eve in my thirty-second year of being single…"

"Promise me you won't fall asleep this time." Toby nudged her playfully.

"What? You don't like carrying me to bed?"

"Of course I do. But it's kind of hard to turn on a woman that's half-asleep." He reasoned.

Spencer giggled. "Alright. I won't fall asleep, and then you can carry me off to bed – fully awake – and get me tangled un in your sheets, like usual."

"Thank you." Toby grinned, satisfied. He nuzzled his nose in her hair as she downed another sip of scotch.

"Tonight…was great." She said.

"Yeah. I told you your parents weren't that bad."

"Yeah." Spencer smiled. "They're actually pretty great."

"Cheers." Toby said, sitting up slightly to hold up his glass. "To your amazing parents."

"Cheers." Spencer grinned and clinked her glass against his. "Now shut up and let me watch Mark Darcy totally screw things up with Bridget."

reference to "Annie" = Spencer's aunt who got married in Myrtle Beach in my previous story. ;) thank u, again, to Bree, whom i named Spencer's roommate after ;)