a/n: so, yeah. This was actually a quick update. Whoever thought I was capable of that? I have the next two chapters written, and I don't know how to pace myself, so expect to see that soon. This chapter is more about Toby btw. ;) I'm pretty much going to switch POV's a lot, and I think it will be pretty balanced. I probably won't do it EVERY TIME, but so far it has been Spencer/Toby/Spencer/Toby, so yeah. In the end, there might be more of Spencer than Toby, who knows.
Thanks so much for the reviews, you guys are awesome! I'm really glad you're interested in this story. I hope you like the new chapter :)
Chapter Two:
Animated Movies
Toby Cavanaugh thought his days of thinking about women were over. He thought that door was closed. He thought his heart had gone awry, refusing to let anyone in. But today he was proven wrong. He was shown that his heart was not just serving as a basic function to live. It began to beat again. The ice around it began to thaw, and it was because of her.
It isn't fair to say his heart doesn't function in a way that propels love. He has someone in his life he loves very much, whom he loves more than anything. But that's it. That's all his heart has been beating for. Until her—Spencer Hastings.
It isn't that he is in love with her anything, but the potential is there. He can see himself falling for her. Maybe it is ridiculous to say. He barely knows her—she could be a lunatic. But there is something about her; something that causes his stomach to do somersaults and his vocal cords to hitch a pitch. They instantly connected.
"Toby, so, what do you think?" his best friend's voice breaks his thought process.
"Oh," he clocks into his surroundings. Two faces are staring at him, both of their eyes locked on him in anticipation. He clears his throat, "yeah, sounds great…" Toby murmurs, an uncertainness in his tone. He knows his friends will catch on.
"See Holden? Toby's on my side," his best friend smiles smugly at his other, shaggy haired, friend.
"Toby wasn't even listening," he rolls his eyes.
His best friend faces Toby, an annoyed look on his face, "you hang out with us one day a week, and you can't even listen? Fucking Christ, Toby," the man shakes his head, swinging a beer bottle to his lips.
"I was listening…" Toby defends himself, although it is a lie. He literally has no clue what his friends' conversation is even about.
"You know what? Whatever. Toby still agreed with me. Therefore it is destined that I should be the one to go, and talk to her," his best friend argues with Holden.
"You only want to have sex with her!" Holden hisses, "I actually want to get to know her. We already have so much in common. She's reading a freaking material arts book. That is my thing."
"She's hot, that's my thing. Plus, I saw her first."
Holden shakes his head, raising his beer to his mouth.
"No hot girl just comes to a bar and reads. She is waiting—waiting to be hit on."
"Why can't on be the one to hit on her?" Holden asks.
"Because I told you. I saw her first!"
"Come on Caleb," Toby finally cuts into the conversation, giving his best friend a glare. "Let him try it. It could lead to something special," Toby encourages.
"Haha! Yes! See!? Toby agrees with me," the shaggy haired man laughs in victory.
"Come on, man!" Caleb glares at him, "I thought you had my back? Whatever happened to best friends stick together?"
Toby doesn't respond he just shrugs, sort of. Caleb sighs, moving his hard, copper eyes to Holden. "Fine," he grumbles. "Go," he hisses.
Holden jumps jollily out of his seat, practically skipping to the material arts girl.
"What's up with you?" Caleb demands.
"What do you mean?"
Caleb lets out a hearty laugh. "It could lead to something special," Caleb mocks his best friend. "Since when are you the love guru? Just a couple weeks ago you were telling Holden how love only leads to heartache; how you should never trust anyone with your heart because they'll stomp on it with spiked, bedazzled, heels."
"I was drunk when I said that, first of all. Second of all, if you don't recall, that was my ex-wife's wedding day. I was acting like a lunatic to put it in more accurate terms."
"That was my favorite version of you, to be honest. I wish you were like that all the time. Think of the loads of fun we would have," Caleb gets a dreamy look in his maple eyes. "I mean I know you have your hook ups every now and then, but you know—if you were like that all the time…you would…you would be…"
"Like you?" Toby fills his thought.
"Exactly," a wicked smile dances across the man's face. "We could be each other's wingmen. God, Toby, can you imagine it? How much we would get laid?"
Toby rolls his eyes, "If I was like that all the time, I would literally despise myself. I can't act that way, you know I can't. I have a daughter, in case you forgot. She doesn't need Hugh Hefner as a father."
Caleb groans, "You are so impeccably boring sometimes, I don't even know how we're friends. And that kid, she's like the biggest cock block, known demand."
"You love her," Toby immediately fires back. "Don't pretend you don't. You may hate everything else in existence, but you love her," he murmurs, sure of it. "And also, Caleb," he looks at his friend, pasting on a devilish smile, "if you say another word about my daughter, you can expect those pretty little caramel eyes of yours to be black."
Caleb scowls, groaning as he changes his gaze to Holden. He seems to be really hitting it off with material arts girl.
"Whatever, man. She's all right. I certainly like her more than you," he comments.
Toby laughs into his drink.
"There is something else though…" Caleb murmurs, returning his quizzical, brown eyes to Toby. "Something about you tonight…" he goes on.
Toby just stares at him, keeping a neutral expression.
He has known Caleb for a long time. He is his oldest friend. They met in seventh grade. Caleb came from Ohio, and before that, Illinois, and before that, California. He went through several foster care systems. He always ended up getting sent back. When he came to Pennsylvania in seventh grade, he was finally out for good. He never got sent back. Although…they weren't exactly the best parents. They basically used him to get welfare. By the time Caleb was seventeen, he was living on his own—well not on his own, but with Toby. Toby, like Caleb, did not have the best relationship with his family. The two founded some crappy loft and managed to get by. Ever since then, they've been best friends. And over the amount of years they have spent together, Caleb has gotten to know Toby like the back of his hand.
"Nothing," Toby supplies, his eyes flicking to his beer. It is almost gone.
He can feel Caleb staring at him.
"Whatever," he eventually gives up. "I'm sure soon enough you'll be rambling on about whatever it is," he lets out in a neutral tone. "May as well enjoy the peace while it lasts," Caleb sighs, falling into a slouched position in his chair.
…
Sunday is Toby's favorite and least favorite day of the week.
On one hand, it is the day he gets to reunite with his daughter whom he has been without for a whole week. On another hand, it is the day he has to give his daughter away, to her mother—saying goodbye till next week. It just depends on the Sunday.
Luckily, today is a good Sunday. A Sunday that further explains why Sunday is his favorite of the week. He gets to see his daughter again. He gets to have her for a whole week. An entire seven days lies in front of them.
"Daddy," the little girl speaks up, carefully setting down the crayon next to her drawing.
"Yes, monkey?" he responds, glancing up at her
She giggles, creases forming next to her light, emerald eyes. "Why do you call me that? I'm not a monkey!" she exclaims.
"Really?" his eyebrows bunch together, setting down the menu. "Are you sure?" he inquires, inspecting her with his eyes.
"Absolutely, positively! Monkeys have tails," she states matter-of-factly.
He sighs, "I didn't want to tell you, but…" he lets his sentence die. He shakes his head, "no, I shouldn't…" he drops his head.
"What! What is it? Tell me!" she pleads.
"Well," he begins, "I didn't want to tell you till you were older, but you were actually born with a tail. The doctors managed to fix it, but they said that if you eat too many bananas…it will grow back," he tells her in the most sincere voice he can muster.
The expression on his daughter's face is priceless. He swallows his laughter, but is unable to contain his smile. But she doesn't seem to notice his grin, she is too engrossed with the new information just handed to her. "But…but I always eat bananas," her voice is quiet and fearful.
"I know," he nods. "But it is okay. You love monkeys, don't you? Don't you want to be one?"
She shakes her head furiously, her green eyes huge.
A laugh erupts from his throat.
"Are you lying?" she quips up in an angry tone.
"No. Why would I lie about that?"
"I don't know," she says, her eyes falling to the table, searching for an answer.
"It's okay. I'll still love you when you turn into a monkey," he promises.
"You're lying!" she accuses in a louder tone.
"Am I?" he challenges her. "I guess we'll just have to see…" his voice trails off.
His daughter is getting smarter and smarter by the minute. She used to be so gullible, believing anything Toby, or her mother, told her. They used to make up stories—outrageous, ridiculous, stories that couldn't possibly be true, yet believable to the little girl. It always lightened Toby's heart that the little girl could still see so much magic in the world.
"Now, you were going to ask me a question," he speaks up. "What was it?"
"Oh!" she exclaims, "oh yeah!" she goes on, seeming to forget everything he just told her. "I was just wondering…" she begins, seeming almost a little hesitant. What could a five year old be hesitant about? Usually they just blurt out everything. "Are you going to marry someone?" she asks.
The question completely throws him off. He never expected to hear those words coming from her mouth. "Um…why do you ask that?" he inquires.
"I dunno," she shrugs, her green eyes staring at the drawing in front of her, her hands spreading out the piece of paper. "Mommy married someone," she points out, looking at him curiously.
"That doesn't mean daddy is."
She beams at him, a grin unfolding on her face. "Good!" she exclaims. "I don't want to share you with anyone. When I'm at mommy's, she's always with Garret."
He internally groans. Was she seriously ignoring their daughter for her boyfrie—husband. "I promise that you'll always be my number one girl."
"Pinky promise?" a challenge glimmers in her eyes as she sets her elbow on the table, and holds out her tiny pinky towards him.
"Pinky promise," he declares, putting his pinky forward. She curls her pinky over his.
"Good," she sighs, slumping back in her chair. She begins to color again. So carefree and innocent. Toby wishes she could always live like this, but he knows it is impossible. One day she will grow up and have to face the cruel world as it is.
A waitress soon comes by and takes their orders. Like always, Toby orders his French toast and like always, his daughter orders her chocolate chip pancakes. It is a sort of tradition they have here. On the Sundays where he picks her up, they go to breakfast. The little girl has always been one for adventure so she always asks if they can go somewhere new. To go somewhere different every other Sunday would be nearly impossible, but Toby does his best. After breakfast the two go see a movie, and if there isn't a movie to see, rent one. Sundays are pretty laid back for the two.
Today's choice of cinema is Frozen. It is the newest Disney movie out. Apparently, it is the best thing to ever happen, ever. Well, that is what his daughter's friend said anyway. Ever since his daughter heard that review, she has been dying to see it. Although the movie is very girly and princessy, and definitely not aiming for men in their twenties, Toby is glad that his daughter waited to see it with him. He feels special. He loves creating memories with her. He loves seeing her face light up when she is happy, and he is almost sure she'll love this movie. She is obsessed with all things Disney.
"Daddy, do you think they will sing?" the little girl asks him as they wait in line. For a Sunday afternoon, it is strangely busy.
"Do they usually sing in Disney movies?
The little girl gives the question thought before nodding her head.
"Then, yes. I think there is a pretty good chance there will be some singing," he smiles down at her.
"And princesses, too?"
Nodding, his voice longs, "I can guarantee there will be princesses."
She lets out a sort of squeal of joy, making him grin.
"Toby!" a voice exclaims behind him. He turns around, an instant smile framing his face.
"And Tabby!" the brunette beams, squatting down at the little girl's height. She spreads her arms out, and she doesn't even have to ask for a hug, the small blonde is already on it. She holds on to the woman tightly, obviously not wanting to let go.
"You're getting so big!"
"Why do people keep saying that?" she extends from the woman's hold.
"Because it is true!"
"But I'm not fat!" she argues, her forehead wrinkling.
The brunette laughs, "of course not, silly," she pokes her in the stomach, producing a giggle from five year old. Her manicured hand plays with blond waves, "I mean you're getting taller."
"Well, why not just say that?" the little girl counters.
The woman smiles at her, "I'll do that next time."
She stands up, this time enveloping Toby in an embrace. "We're having lunch, soon," she whispers to him. "We have things to talk about…" her voice trails. Toby cringes. He knows what she is referring to.
"Is Emily going to watch the movie with us?" the little girl asks her father.
"Actually…" he begins.
"What movie are you guys seeing?" Emily cuts him off.
"Frozen!" she beams at the woman, her voice going up a couple octaves.
"Hmm, well I was going to see another movie, but that actually seems a lot more interesting. But do you mind if one of my friend tags along?"
"Sure! As long as I get to eat their popcorn!"
"Tabby," Toby scolds his daughter, mostly sighing.
"Yes, I'm sure she won't have a problem sharing her popcorn," Emily bellows a laugh.
"Do I know her?"
"You've met her, but I'm not sure you'll remember her. Does Paige ring a bell?"
"Wait, what bell?" the little girl gets frazzled.
Another laugh from the brunette.
"It's an expression! When I say her name, do you know who I'm talking about?"
"Why didn't you just say that the first time!" she exasperates. She squints her minty eyes, "does she have brown hair?"
"Yes," Emily nods.
"Does she teach kids how to swim?"
"Yes!"
"Oh, I think I know who that is," the little girl has a proud look on her face.
"Good, I'm glad you remember."
Emily's special friend, Paige Mc'Cullers,greets them in the line only a few seconds later. Her hair is pinned back in a low ponytail, and she is wearing a leather jacket, contrary to how warm it is. She doesn't seem to mind that they'll be spending their afternoon with singing animated princesses.
After the movie ended, when Paige, Emily, and Tabitha were coming out of the bathroom, Toby heard her name—Spencer. It came from Emily's mouth. Was it possible that it was the same Spencer he met a couple days ago? He wasn't sure. It didn't seem likely. He decided to brush it off. Maybe he was just hearing things.
…
The next day he returns to work—the Hastings manor. The house is beautiful, well, he shouldn't use the word "house", it is more like a mansion. Their property stretches out to 8,500 square feet. He cannot even imagine having that much land.
He isn't really sure why they want an addition. The house is already huge. He doubts they even use this much space, but it gives him a job, so he cannot really complain.
He is about to knock on the door, but it opens before his knuckle can even meet the wood.
Spencer runs into him before he can get out of the way.
"Oh my god!" she immediately exclaims, jumping away. "I'm so sorry! I didn't even see you there," she hurries out, searching his eyes for any sign of resentment. There isn't any.
"It's fine," he responds, chuckling a little.
"I could have just bulldozed you right off the porch!" she goes on.
"Luckily you didn't," he says in a light voice.
She sighs, "God, I really am sorry," she apologizes again, frowning. Her doe brown eyes bore into him, making him feel self conscious.
"Really, it is okay. No harm done," he responds.
"I'm just in such a hurry," She seems irritated. She tugs her bag more on her shoulder, "which is why I am going to have to cut this conversation short."
"Don't worry about that. I'm sort of in a hurry, too. I'm kind of running late to work," he explains, hoping she'll catch on.
Her maple eyes widen in realization, "oh! Yeah," she laughs a little. "Want me to let you in?" she asks.
"That would be nice," he nods. "But if you're really running late then I can just knock and wait. Hopefully this time no one will try to knock me off the porch," his voice is teasing.
A timid smile rises on her features, her honey eyes fluttering away for a second. She seems to be in a different persona in that moment—one that is much less sure. But she is back soon enough, "no. If you do that, you'll probably just be waiting out here till August. My parents can't even here the doorbell sometimes," she rolls her eyes. "If they need any additions on this house, they need to add another doorbell, for like upstairs or something," she shakes her head as she turns to the door. She pulls her keys out of her purse, meeting the lock with a silver key.
The door unlocks, and she holds the door open for the man, a beautiful smile arises on her face as he takes a step inside. She follows in the house, and closes the door.
She begins to walk through the foyer. He isn't sure if he is supposed to follow, so he just stays put. She turns around after a minute, a look of confusion splattered across her face. "Aren't you coming?" the question slivers around him.
"Oh, yeah," he strides forward, "sorry, I didn't know…"
"It's okay," she gives him another smile, her hand cupping his shoulder.
That smile. It is like sneaking a peak at the world of magic.
She looks away and continues to walk, her hand back at her side.
"If I'm making you late, I apologize," he murmurs to her as they go through the house.
"What? No, it's fine!" he think what he is hearing is laughter (it sounds like orchestra of angels.) "You're, like, the politest person I've ever met," she stops at a doorway.
Their eyes beam back and forth, trapped in some realm of magnetic force.
"Well, you've only known me for, like, three days," he points out.
"Are you saying that you are going to disappoint me?"
"I didn't know I had any expectations," he shoots back.
She just smirks at him, her copper eyes becoming something of anonymity. Then, she just opens the doors, letting her father know Mr. Cavanaugh is here. When she addresses him with that name, she gives him a knowing look, a teasing smile on her face. He smiles back at her before entering the room.
Neither say goodbye. And he is glad for that. They will see each other again.
a/n: So, Toby has a kid! Hmm, any guesses on who the mother is? ;)
Leave me a review ! How do you feel about Tabby? About Toby having a child? And I love Taleb and Tomily and Paily, so I mean...sorry not sorry.