Chapter 18: It Ends Today

Sunlight poured into the main room shining a glow on the intertwined couple on a sofa bed. It was the first time in a long time Toby woke up feeling refreshed. He heard birds singing. Do birds always sing this early in the morning? If they did before, he hadn't noticed their sweet tune until now. None of that compared to the feeling he has waking up with a beautiful brunette in his arms.

Spencer was asleep curled against Toby's bare chest. Her hair was sprawled out on him and his pillow. Toby forced his brain to pause. He felt good. Great waking up with the woman he loves in his arms, but he can't ignore his gnawing fear of losing her. He knows it's best to just enjoy this moment with her. He tried to focus on her innocent features as she slept. Her little whistle snores. Her nose wrinkles. Her smooth legs intertwined with his. Her wearing his shirt. His own eyes filled with tears as he took it all in. He never thought he would see her again. Have another moment like this with her again. Be able to watch her sleep again. Hold her again. Yet here she is. In his bed, safe in his arms, and wearing his shirt. But how long will this last?

Not long at all. He knew it wouldn't be much longer till the rest of the gang woke up and started coming out of their rooms. Soon, they would all split up to go their separate ways to pull off their plan. If things go right, by the end of the day Spencer will be free to live her life. If things go wrong… That's all Toby can think about. If things go wrong, he will lose Spencer again. Spencer began to stir. She stretched her hand out across his chest. She arched her head up, so it fit under Toby's chin against his neck.

"Morning," She squeaked as she stretched her body like a cat.

"Good morning," Toby said.

He ran his fingers through her hair. Spencer's eyes are now open staring back at him. She smiled and swiped her hand along his cheek.

"We should get moving before the others get out here," Spencer said.

"I know," he said.

"Actually," a voice coming from the kitchen spoke up. They sat up looking wide-eyed at Aria, Emily, and Alison sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee. All had raised eyebrows.

"Some of us are already up," Alison finished.

Crimson colored Spencer's face. Toby cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment. Not for being caught with Spencer, just for being caught in such an intimate moment.

"You two seemed to sleep well last night," Aria said, with a hint of teasing in her tone.

"Yeah," Spencer sat up in the bed. "How long have you guys been out here?"

"About a half hour," Alison said.

"What time is it?" Toby asked.

He looked at the clock above the stove, 9:39 a.m. They overslept. They scrambled to get out of bed. Toby threw a shirt on, and Spencer went into a room to put on pants. Things didn't go beyond a kiss last night, so why do they feel like they got caught doing something else?

Soon, the band was together standing around the kitchen counter finalizing the plan. Everything that they had discussed before stayed the same. Except for one little detail that a certain someone will not be happy with the change.

"Caleb, Hanna, And Aria don't go inside Mona's house until you know for sure she's not there," said Spencer. "Look for any hidden camera's she may have."

"If she has camera's I can find a way to hack into them with looped footage," said Caleb.

"He's really good at this stuff," Hanna said, smiling.

Aria rolled her eyes, "does anyone else want to trade places?"

No one spoke up. Aria will be stuck with Hanna and Caleb making lusty eyes at each other. But it is for the greater good.

"Emily and Alison will be in overwatch while I meet with Mona," said Spencer. "Toby will follow Lucas to make sure he stays out of the way."

The exchanges between everyone told Spencer that something changed with the plan. Something that was discussed between all of them without her present. When she took that shower last night. Before she got in, Toby was too steamed to even look at her. Next thing she knows, he's offering her his shirt and suggests she goes to take a hot shower, so she'll feel better. Spencer didn't even think twice about it then. Now, she understands that it was his way of getting her out of the room while the rest of them complete the plan without her. She looked at Alison because she knew it would be hard for Alison to lie to her face.

"What's going on?" Spencer asked.

"Lucas has already been secured," Alison said.

"How? When?"

"I got him last night," said Toby. "Knocked him out and locked him up at my loft in Rosewood."

"Toby said he couldn't find Lucas without Mona's help." Spencer's voice turned when she put together what Toby had already done. Spencer turned around and yelled at Toby. "You contacted Mona!"

"I had to," Toby said.

"We all agreed that I was supposed to lure her out!" Spencer argued.

"It would be suspicious for you to contact her, Spencer!" Toby yelled back. "You've been hiding from her for months. I've been working with her for months. It makes sense for me to meet with her while everyone else breaks into her lair."

"So, you were just going to leave me out of this? Do you really expect me to just sit on the sidelines?" Spencer was on the verge of tears. "This has been your life for a year. This has been mine, my whole life!"

"I can't lose you again!" Toby yelled.

"I can't lose you!" Spencer yelled.

Tears spilled out of her eyes. Spencer trembled with emotions. Everyone else stood on the side watching the tension between them tighten again.

"Spencer," Alison spoke up. "We all discussed this, and we all agreed to go this way."

"Toby should meet with Mona," Emily said. "He's the only one who's been in contact with her. She doesn't know what's going on and the only way to avoid her finding out is if Toby keeps on going like he wants to avenge your death."

"Emily will go with Toby to watch his back," said Alison. "I'll stay here with you in this cabin where we'll be safe."

"No," Spencer wanted to argue.

"This may be the only way for our plan to work," Alison said. "We're supposed to stay hidden, remember? Everyone else can go outside."

"We were going to talk to you about this last night," Emily admitted. "But we didn't have a chance to get to it."

"I hate to get in the middle of this," Caleb stepped in. "But if we're going to do this plan, we better go now."

"This better work out in the end, because I did not give up my honeymoon for nothing," Hanna said.

Caleb, Hanna, and Aria gathered what they needed then left the cabin. Next, Emily and Toby talked about their little part in this plan. Toby will meet Mona at the top of Outlook Point. Emily will be there hiding to keep watch in case anything should go wrong. Alison will stay here in the cabin with Spencer where they will hopefully be safe. Spencer stared daggers at Toby and Emily as they began to make plans for their departure. Toby will leave first. Emily will give him a ten-minute head start before she follows.

"All of us will have earpieces so we can stay in touch with each other in case something goes wrong," said Emily. She handed the piece to Alison.

"Where did these come from?" Alison asked.

"Who do you think? Caleb," said Emily.

"Good luck, you guys." Alison hugged Emily. "Stay safe."

"You too," Emily said. She rubbed Alison's back.

Spencer stood with her arms over her chest leaning against the kitchen counter. She hated this plan. She hated not having a role in this. This is her own freedom their fighting for, so she should have a role in this, dammit.

"This will all be over soon," Emily said to Spencer.

"Sure, it will." Spencer rolled her eyes.

"Don't leave this cabin until we come to get you," said Toby, staring mostly at Spencer.

Spencer scoffed and unfolded her arms. She walked to the bedroom slamming the door behind her. Making Emily and Alison flinch. They looked at each other.

Spencer sat down on the end of the bed and folded her arms in a huff. She felt so useless being stuck here like some child. Not even a minute after she sat down, the door opened.

"I don't want to talk right now, Ali," she said.

But when Spencer turned around it was Toby standing in the room. She looked away from him as she heard the door shut behind him.

"You going to chain me to the bed to make sure I don't leave?" Spencer grumbled.

"No," Toby said. "I thought by now you'd agree that this is the best course of action. You are staying here where you'll be safe."

"I'm not a helpless little girl, Toby!" Spencer snapped.

"That's not what this is."

"No?" She challenged. Spencer stood up to face him.

"Don't you get it?" said Toby. "The only way to ensure I stay sane in all of this is, if I know for sure that you are safe. That's all I care about."

"How will I know if you are safe?" Spencer asked. "You're only thinking about yourself and your feelings. How can you expect me to just sit here while everyone is out doing something dangerous? While you are doing something dangerous."

"It's just a meeting with Mona," said Toby. "As soon as we get the word from Hanna and Caleb that they gave everything to Tanner on Mona, it won't be long until she comes to arrest Mona."

"Or she'll slip you something and convince you to kill someone else," Spencer said. "Or worse. She'll get you killed."

"That's not going to happen. Like I just said for the first time in a long time I am thinking clearly. No one is going to die today. Especially you."

"Two days ago, you were pointing a gun at your head!" Spencer yelled in his face. "How am I supposed to trust that you are mentally okay to go along with this?"

Toby reached for her arms.

"No," she pulled away.

He reached for her again, holding her arm trying to pull her towards him. Spencer yanked her hand free again and tried to slap him. Toby caught her wrist with force, not enough to hurt her, but enough to get her to look at him. She looked into his blue eyes. Her breath caught with how intent Toby looked at her.

"Because I love you," he whispered to her. "Two days ago, I thought I didn't have anything real to fight for or live for anymore. Truth was I only cared about one thing and that was finding my way back to you. Now, here you are. Here's our second chance and I'll be damned if I let last night be our last night together. I want a future with you, Spencer. I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure we have one. Whatever it will be."

Tears tickled the corners of Spencer's eyes as she said, "don't you dare kiss me goodbye."

Toby pulled her the rest of the way into him and kissed her hard on the lips. Spencer's tears mixed in with their attached lips. She cupped his face and let his tongue taste the inside of her mouth. A string of saliva hung between their mouths as their lips parted. They shared a long heavy breath as they stared long into each other's eyes.

"That's not a goodbye," Toby said to her. "That's my promise that I will come back, and we will put a stop to this madness once and for all."


It's go time fellas! Who's ready for this madness to be over?