Chapter 35:

When You Lose Something You Can't Replace

"What do you mean 'he's missing?'" Spencer asked forcibly, furrowing her eyebrows.

"I mean, he hasn't been home in over a week, the last place he was seen was a gas station in Pemberley five days ago, and no one's heard from him at all. According to federal law, he's now classified as 'missing,' Miss Hastings." The brown eyed cop replied dully, as if this were his trillionth 'MISSING' message he'd delivered all day.

"What? That's…that's ridiculous. He's twenty-seven years old. He's an adult. Adults don't go missing, Officer. Children do."

"Well, if you can verify his location, then no, he can't qualify as missing." The officer fished a black iPhone out of his pocket and held it out for her. She looked at for a moment, before her gaze traveled upwards to his expectant face.

Sighing, she took the phone from him and dialed Jason's number.

After a few rings, she hung up with a huff, "Voicemail." She said under her breath.

After the cop took his phone back, he nodded his head to her in a gentlemanly fashion. His bloodshot eyes reminded Spencer of an old, sad bloodhound. "We'll do everything we can to locate him," he promised her, and she nodded. "Good day, Miss Hastings." He tipped his cap to her and walked away.

Shutting the front door, Spencer turned and sauntered back over to the sofa, dropping back onto it beside Hanna, who was halfway through a pint of Ben and Jerry's ice cream.

"What the hell was that about?" Hanna asked her.

"I have no idea. But it's ridiculous. Jason's a grown up." Spencer said in disbelief, "He doesn't need a tracker on him twenty-four seven. It's not like him wandering off is anything new. He's allowed to have a few secrets and some breathing room." She sighed. "I just wish he'd told me why he left in the first place."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Hanna reasoned, her voice gurgley from her mouthful of Rocky Road, "Once Jason realizes that his absence has caused such a fuss, he'll come home."

"I hope so." Spencer sighed, picking up her mug of coffee.

"Where's Toby this morning?" Hanna asked.

"At the hardware store. He's fixing the creaky cabinet in the kitchen today."

"You have a creaky cabinet in the kitchen?"

"No. But according to Toby we do." Spencer shrugged. "It's how Toby copes with uncertainty; he fixes things."

"Ah, makes sense."

"I mean, with Jenna in the Looney Bin, Jason on the Lamb, and the sitch with my sister and Wren, nothing is guaranteed anymore." Spencer sipped her coffee. "He's been a little bit more concerned that usual since last week."

"Why, what happened last week?"

"You should've heard what Taylor said to him when he babysat her." Spencer shook her head. "She said that she wished Toby was her father, instead of Wren."

"Wow."

"I know."

"Poor Toby."

"Poor Taylor."

"This whole year is starting out a bust."

"Hey, don't be so sure," Spencer replied with a touch of optimism, "What about you and Will?"

"We're good."

"'Good?' That's all I get? No details?"

"Alright. Very good."

"Han."

"We're…great. He's great. He's very sweet."

"But…"

"But I'm still messed up, Spence. I'm still the constant victim of love. I still think about Caleb all the time."

"You still love him?"

"Do you ever really unfall for someone?"

"Yes."

"Okay, one that you actually loved."

"I guess it depends."

"No, Spence, it doesn't. If Toby just decided one day that he was going to walk out on you, you would never get over it."

Spencer's eyes fell to her coffee, and she nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I guess I wouldn't."

Hanna sighed. "It sucks. Because I want to be with Caleb, but it feels like there will always be this…wall between us, you know? And I still really care about Will; he makes me happy."

"Then stay with him."

"I want to. But…" Hanna sighed, getting to her feet, "You know, I'm getting a headache. I need some air."

"Uhm, alright." Spencer stood up as well, "Can I get you some water?"

"Oh, no, uhm it's fine." Hanna shook her head, "I should probably get going anyway. Huge exam to study for." She said hurriedly, gathering her bag. She headed for the door, slipping on her booties and leaving, empty ice cream carton in tow.

"You know we're still on semester break." Spencer said after Hanna had shut the door behind her.

"I got the tickets!" Spencer said into the receiver, balancing her phone between her cheek and shoulder.

"That's great, Spence!" Toby replied on the other line. "When do we leave?"

"Well, Marti Gras is in February this year, so our flight is on the sixteenth."

"And Aria and Ezra have their tickets too, right?"

"Yep!" Spencer walked around the kitchen island and stood in front of the stove, dumping a boxful of noodles into a boiling pot of water.

"Perfect. And Em and Samara are coming too. We're all set, then."

"Well, here's the dilemma," She replied, "Whose Hanna bringing?"

"I thought you said she was going out with Will now?"

"She is; but when I talked to her today she said that she still had feelings for Caleb."

"Well, they were together four years – as long as we've been together. You can't expect those feelings to fade in a few short months."

"I know. But I feel like it might be too much for her at the moment, you know? Going to New Orleans for Marti Gras with a guy she's unsure about."

"Yeah, I get it. Say, why do I hear…boiling lava in the background?"

"I'm making pasta, Toby. And it isn't that loud. At all."

"I almost get my hearing blown out every day from the wear and tear of construction work. If I can hear it, it's loud."

"Well, hurry home and get some before I eat it all." Spencer replied as she stirred the pot of sauce beside the noodles.

"Roger that, Juliet. I'll be home quick like a bunny. Would you like me to pick you up anything while I'm on my way? Milk? Chocolate? Some roses?"

"Well, now that you mention it, I've been lacking a bit in red roses and scented candles…"

"Oh, and I presume bath salts as well?" Toby teased.

"Naturally." Spencer replied in her best hoity-toity voice. "Maybe you'd be chivalrous enough to fetch a carriage so we can attend Lady Montgomery's ball tonight?"

"Of course. What's the week without a ball?"

Spencer laughed. "Alright." She said with a soft smile. "See you soon."

"Love you."

"Love you, too."

Spencer hung up and set the phone down by the stove, continuing to blissfully stir her pot of lava.

Hanna bumped the revolving door of Loehmann's with her hip, ambling out of the store with her arms full of bags. After leaving Spencer, she had aimlessly walked around Rosewood, and before she knew it, she was right smack in the middle of Loehmann's shoe department, a pair of Gucci boots in her hands.

So, naturally, she had bought way more than she needed, and now had to make her way back to her apartment, since her car was in the shop for the next few days.

Suddenly, someone's hands on her hips made her jump like a deer, "Gotcha." A familiar voice said low in her ear.

She turned, still balancing the plentiful bags, "Will!"

"I thought that red scarf was familiar." He grinned, nodding towards the one that adorned her neck.

She smiled and readjusted the bags and boxes in her arms. Noticing her strain, Will moved quickly to taken them off of her hands for her.

"You don't have to do that." Hanna smiled, and she was surprised to feel a slight blush warm her cheeks.

"Well, it's a chivalrous thing to do, right?" Will teased. "Can I buy you a coffee?"

"Uhm…" Hanna bit her lip, thinking about all that had happened in the past couple of days. Spencer, Jason, Will, Caleb…her and Caleb…

"You know what, yeah, yeah sure." She decided, silencing the annoying, pecking voice in the back of her head. "Let's go."

"We'll drop your bags in my car and I'll give you a lift home, too, 'kay?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Yeah. Alright, I'll talk to you later, Spence." Aria hung up the phone and set it down on the counter.

"Who was that?" She looked up to see Ezra strolling into the kitchen, sliding his briefcase off of his shoulder.

"Uhm, just Ivy." She lied, turning towards him. "She wanted clarification on the reception menu."

"Well, she's always been a thorough caterer." He smiled. Nearing her, he dropped a quick kiss on her lips before heading for the fridge to grab a beer.

Aria wasn't quite sure why she lied so quickly. Maybe it was that she didn't want Ezra to know how worried she was about Jason.

He still hadn't returned her call, the one she gave him nearly a week ago. And now Spencer said that the police were declaring him "missing."

The whole ordeal was enough to make Aria's skin crawl.

"So how was you day?" Aria cleared her throat.

"Oh, you know, the usual. Same old, same old." Ezra loosened his tie, taking a swig of his beer. "Hey." He said, "What would you say to going out for dinner tonight? Just the two of us? We haven't been out together in a while."

"Well, we have the rest of our lives to." Aria grinned.

"Well, why not start now?" He teased. He loomed closer to her, setting down his beer and pressing her back against the counter.

She grinned as his finger traced the line of her jaw. "Alright. I'll get my coat."

Spencer looked at the clock again. 9:15. She sighed and took another sip of wine.

Toby was supposed to have been home two hours ago. He had texted her and said that he was meeting Emily to help her fix the leaky faucet in her parents' house, but that was only supposed to take twenty-five minutes. She'd phoned him five times since then, and each time, her efforts were met with his friendly voicemail greeting. She had then texted Emily, who had reported that Toby had left an hour previous.

Spencer was worried.

She didn't want to go driving around Rosewood, anxiously crawling the town in search for her adult boyfriend like he was a child, but if any more time passed…she feared she might have to.

Her eyes centered in on the clock, and every sound but the subtle clicking of the hands faded away. It was only she and the clock – the constant reminder of how nervous she was.

Suddenly, the shrill sound of her cell phone rang out, and she nearly spilt her wine in frantic desperation to get it. Wrapping her fingers around it, she raised it to her ear, "Hello?!"

"Spence?" Toby's voice said on the other line. He sounded like he was trying to keep his tone even, in an attempt to keep her calm.

"Toby, wha – where are you?" She furrowed her eyebrows.

"Uhm, Spence, I'm…"

"Toby…what's wrong? Why are you so late? What happened?"

"Listen, Spence…"

"Toby. Where. Are. You?"

"Spence…I'm calling you from the police station."

Her heart leapt up into her throat, and she got cold all over. "Wha – why? What happened? Toby did you do something?"

"No, no, it's nothing like that. It's…"

"What's happening?"

"Spencer." He sighed, "Spence, it's about Jason. They think he's dead."

happy thanksgiving, darling readers! i hope you all enjoyed it, if you do celebrate it ;) thanks for all the wonderful reviews!

the story of will/hanna/caleb is still unfolding, as you see, and you'll see it come to a head within the next 2-3 chapters ;)

ohhh and then there's that thing with jason...what to do, what to do? ;)

keep your wonderful feedback coming, loves!

-AJ