Hello, hello, hello! Happy update Tuesday for the last time! Yes, we've reached the end of yet another one of my ridiculous stories. Honestly, I'm ready to see this go. It was a lot of work but I'm glad I did write and post it and I'm glad I have all of you wonderful people to stick it out and put up with my nonsense for so long. You guys are honestly the reason I'm still writing, you have to know that. I wouldn't be here- I would be nothing, in fact- without you. So honestly, from the bottom of my heart, thank you all so incredibly much for your support. I seriously cannot thank you enough.

I jumped forward in time in this chapter just a few years or so. I hope that's not too tired of a concept. This, of course, will most likely not be the last time you hear from me. I have a few tiny ideas that may or may not blossom into stories in the future. We shall see. But until then, thank you all for reading, thank you extra for reviewing if you choose to, and I hope you all have a wonderful day! Love you guys!

Ten

"There is some good in this world, and it's worth fighting for." – J. R. R. Tolkien, "The Two Towers"

It's strange, really; they've been together for years (they've stopped counting) and yet, she still gets butterflies every time she sees him.

The first time she'd ever been in Heathrow Airport, she'd gotten lost. They had been together, of course, but had gone their separate ways to use the restroom and had decided to meet one another at baggage claim. Instead, Spencer had wandered aimlessly, following the overhead signs and still not quite getting it right, and it would have been almost funny if she wasn't in a foreign country with no real way of getting into contact with the one person she knew there. Instantly, she regretted their decision to part (her bladder's fault) and their decision to meet elsewhere instead of waiting outside for one another (her stubbornness, surely) because this airport was massive. Easily the biggest one she'd ever been in; multiple terminals, multiple gates, multiple airplanes landing and taking off, depositing locals who frowned at the sight of this silly little girl, this American, running around the airport like a lost child.

She found Toby nearly thirty minutes later, walking the opposite way between a Sunglass Hut and a Swarovski (which made so much sense to Spencer; everyone travels with crystals, right?) and they'd laughed about it for about ten minutes straight.

Eventually, they'd found baggage claim, but they hadn't made the best first impression on London. Spencer had teased him endlessly about not knowing his way by now- he did have the advantage of having already been here before- and he'd countered with the fact that Heathrow is ridiculous and impossible to navigate. He hadn't been wrong; with four terminals interspersed with countless shops and eateries, it felt, to Spencer, much more like a shopping mall than an airport. But this, of course, was five years ago; she's done a pretty good job of finding her way tonight. It's nearing ten p.m.; his flight was supposed to have landed two hours ago but some terrible storm over France had delayed him much to her disappointment. In her boredom, she had pretty much browsed through every single shop in the terminal and, throwing caution to the wind, had bought the cheapest flight she could in order to meet him at the gate. She's missed him terribly and wants every last second with him she can possibly get, but she's also seen the movies. She isn't getting past security without a boarding pass.

A little after ten, she gets herself a coffee because it's been a long day and she's crashing hard and makes her way over to his arrival gate. Oddly enough, there's a plane already there and many of its passengers are disembarking; at this sight, her entire body buzzes with anticipation. It's been maybe a week but each day had felt like ten years; she watches each and every one of the passengers file out of the plane and scans the crowd of cranky, overtired travelers for Toby to no avail. She begins to wonder if she's missed him somehow, darting in and out of the other passengers in an attempt to get his luggage and get out of here as fast as he could, in order to get home to her. She glances all around but doesn't seem to find him; instead, the flight crew heads out of the airplane as well and boarding for the next flight begins. Had he missed his flight? No, he couldn't have; he would've told her first chance he got. Did she have the wrong gate? She checks his flight information with the arrivals board and it's a match. She's in the right place. So where is he?

Just as she starts to panic, her phone begins to ring.

"Toby?" She answers on the first ring. "How are you calling me right now?"

"We just landed. We've been taxiing on the runway for at least five minutes because there's another plane at the gate we're supposed to pull into."

"Oh." Spencer sighs in relief. "Okay, you scared me. I thought you were stuck in Barcelona and you were calling to tell me your flight had been canceled or something."

"Thankfully, no, but a two and a half hour delay is bad enough."

"You're telling me." Spencer agrees, watching as the gate agent gives the final boarding call. "How long, do you think?"

"Shouldn't be more than another five, ten minutes at the most. I'm sorry. I was supposed to take you to dinner tonight-"

"It's past my bedtime, at this point." She chuckles. "That ship has sailed."

"- and now I'm probably not going to see you at all. This is not going how I planned it."

"Me either."

"I miss you like crazy."

"Me too, but it's just a bit longer, now." Spencer says. "I can't wait to see you."

"I'll call you if I ever get off this plane. When I'm on the tube home."

"Deal." Spencer replies and can barely suppress her grin.

After what feels like ages, the departing flight pulls back from the gate and taxis out to the runway, leaving an open space that's occupied moments later by the aircraft she's been so anxiously awaiting. Heart racing, Spencer stands a bit straighter as the gate agent pulls the door open and exhausted passengers begin to filter out, crying children and elderly women in wheelchairs and yawning businessmen, checking their watches. In a moment, she spots him and her heart nearly leaps from her ribcage. He's got a duffle bag slung over one shoulder and he's thumbing through his phone, clearly occupied, and suddenly Spencer cannot contain herself. She's waited far too long to see him and the mere feet between them feels like miles and miles. At the last second, as she's just reaching him, he glances up, and the immense surprise in his eyes renders the journey of hers completely worth it.

"Spencer!" He exclaims and takes her into his arms without a second thought, arms tightening around her frame as she throws hers around his neck, laughing. "I had no idea you were here! Why didn't you say anything?"

"I wanted to surprise you." She replies, ignoring the passing looks they're gaining from complete strangers. "I missed you so much and I didn't want to wait any longer to see you."

"But you were up early, you worked all day," Toby lists, shaking his head. "You should be sleeping."

"Hell no. I've done enough solo sleeping this past week." Spencer disagrees. "Plus, why would I let you take the tube home when I can pick you up from the airport in my car?"

"Touché," Toby chuckles and pulls back to kiss her. Her insides turn to mush and her heart skips a beat. This was, without a doubt, worth every lost second of sleep.

"So," She breathes, grinning, when they part. "You like your surprise, then?"

"Love it. And I love you," He replies sincerely, kissing her again. "I missed you. I'm glad to be home."

"Yeah, and I know it'll be short-lived, but we're glad to have you home." Spencer says, threading her fingers through his as they make their way towards baggage claim. "I seriously considered bringing Holden with me, but I thought the stuffy, cranky passengers would frown on that."

Toby laments, "You should have. I missed him, too. FaceTime wasn't good enough."

Spencer rolls her eyes. "You love him more than me."

He chuckles. "I could never love anyone more than you."

This, she knows, has always been true. It hasn't always been easy; in fact, it's rarely ever been easy. The terrors she'd faced following her kidnapping and subsequent hospitalization had stayed with her longer than she'd anticipated. If she's honest, there are still nights when she wakes up screaming, she still has dreams that are plagued with electricity and bodies and pain, but they're not quite as often as they used to be. In the first few weeks following her release from the hospital, she'd spent countless nights with her bedroom door open and the light on, unable to surrender her mind to sleep no matter what she tried. Warm milk and long baths were futile, music and movies and books had been useless. After the third sleepless night, when she was about ready to pull out her hair and cry from exhaustion, she'd packed a bag and snuck out of the house, let herself into the loft with the emergency key (she'd not once used it for an actual emergency) Toby had given her and crawled into bed with him. He hadn't said a word as she curled against him, but he'd pulled the arm she'd draped across his middle more firmly around him and had had a fresh cup of coffee awaiting her in the morning.

She'd then spent the rest of the summer alternately sneaking out of her house and sneaking Toby into it. She's pretty sure after about a week her mother had figured it out, but no one had ever said a thing.

The school hadn't wanted the girls to come back and, in retrospect, it hadn't made much sense for them to attend the last two weeks of class, but to Spencer, life wouldn't have returned to a sense of somewhat normalcy if she hadn't completed her high school coursework. She managed to catch up rather quickly (most likely because her teachers had been far too lenient on her; she supposes they were playing the sympathy card and she wasn't about to complain) and by some miracle, she still found herself towards the top of her class. She hadn't been crowned valedictorian, which, even though she was expecting as much, hurt her immensely anyway, but as class president, she still got to stand on that stage and give her speech, tell her story, and every single soul in that auditorium hung upon her every word. She was glad to leave Rosewood behind, to start anew, and best of all was that Toby was by her side, just as he'd promised he'd always be, every step of the way.

He kept his promise; the next time he went to London was at the end of that summer and he took her with him. She started undergrad in the fall because any college in America still seemed too close to Rosewood for her liking.

They tried- really, they did- not to come back. After all, that had been her exact request when he'd returned to her all those years ago. But they soon found too many reasons to return. Melissa got engaged and then married halfway through Spencer's undergraduate career and they'd returned for the wedding, of course. Daniel Cavanaugh had gotten terribly, terribly ill the very next year and Toby had flocked to his side, desperate to save the only parent he had left despite the rough waters between them; thankfully, he'd made a full recovery, and Spencer had gently prodded Toby into attempting to clear the air. But mostly, they return to Rosewood once a year, on the anniversary of being freed from the bunker, to meet up with their friends, visit Alison's memorial, and continue the healing process. Spencer's sure that one day, they won't need these constant reminders of what they've been through. They'll be able to pass through the summer without thinking of the significance of Labor Day weekend, without remembering the beautiful blonde who'd passed before her time, without having to deal with the repercussions of the psychopath who'd stalked them for years and held them hostage underground.

But this year will mark five years since they'd been freed and Spencer knows they're not quite there yet.

They return to their flat, a cozy one bedroom in central London, a little after eleven, with Toby yawning on the regular but still listening intently as Spencer relays everything that he's missed in the week or so he's been gone. He hops out of the car the moment she shifts the gear into park and reaches around for the trunk, retrieving his luggage. "You know, I considered spending the night at the airport; checking my bag, finding our terminal, and just meeting you there tomorrow night."

She smirks, fiddling with the keys as they walk up the front step. "Where would you sleep? Those awful metal chairs?"

"Why not?" He shrugs. "No one would bother me."

"They'd probably think you were homeless."

He chuckles. "Probably not. Many people have slept in an airport terminal before. I can't be the only one."

"Our flight home isn't until seven p.m." Spencer points out. "What would you have done until then?"

"Well, Heathrow's huge." Toby shrugs. "I'm fairly certain I could've figured something out."

"I would say that it was poor planning on our part to have our flight home so soon after you got back," Spencer reasons, unlocking the front door. "But then again… We've had this booked for months and your boss is the one who made you go to Barcelona on such short notice, so…"

"Oh yeah, it's completely his fault." Toby nods. "I complained about it the entire time I was there."

"No you didn't. You've never struck me as much of a complainer."

"Yeah, well, I didn't say anything to his face. He's my boss. I can't talk to him like that."

"Never stopped you before." She grins cheekily, thinking of missing persons and of police badges, and Toby grins, too.

Their flat is dark and empty the moment they step into it and Spencer doesn't hesitate to turn on the hall light. She's still not so keen on the dark, even now. Toby, however, rolls his suitcase against the wall, tosses his jacket on top and then sighs complacently, pulling her closer to him and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Home sweet home."

"I'm glad you're back." Spencer replies and wonders if he realizes how genuinely she means that. She's been going slightly crazy without him. "Do you want to unpack first or shower or are you hungry? I can make you something; grilled cheese, perhaps?"

"While your grilled cheese is pretty outstanding, I'm not very hungry." He smirks. "Just tired, really. I'm not going to unpack; I'll just stick some clean clothes in tomorrow and I'll be good."

She bites her lip. "You don't want to unpack? You've been gone for a week."

Laughing, he asks, "Do you want to unpack?"

Shrugging, Spencer replies. "I just think it'll ease your mind if you do."

"It'll ease your mind if I do." He says and she rolls her eyes despite the grin on her face. He kisses her again before nodding. "Mm. Yeah. This is what Emily was talking about."

"What do you mean?"

"She said we argue like an old married couple already." Toby says. "And I didn't know what she meant and she thought I was crazy for not seeing it. I see it now."

"Okay, we're not old." Spencer disagrees. "We're not married-"

"Yet." Toby interjects, eyeing the gorgeous engagement ring on her finger.

"And we don't argue that often. I mean, where she would even get that idea is just beyond…" Spencer trails off before chuckling. "I'm proving her point, aren't I?"

"A little bit, babe. A little bit." Toby replies and she beams. "Are you excited to tell them?"

"I'm excited to tell everyone." Spencer nods. "I know it was recent and it was great getting to keep it between us for a while, but this secret has been killing me. My mother will kill me when we tell her this happened a week ago and she wasn't the first to know."

"Honestly, you told Hanna." Toby shrugs. "I'm surprised the entire town doesn't already know."

"She beat it out of me!" Spencer laughs. "She's better at secrets than you think she is."

"Yeah, well, I guess you all are, aren't you?" Toby teases and Spencer pulls a face. "Olivia knows, too."

"Olivia watches Holden for us all the time." Spencer points out. "It would be pretty hard to hide a ring from her every other day."

"It's not that often," Toby reasons and then his eyes widen. "Holden! I haven't seen him yet. Where is he?"

"Sleeping in our room." Spencer says. "That's how I left him, anyway. We had dinner and then he passed out. His life's very difficult, you know."

"You left him alone?"

"Yes," She replies hesitantly. "But the look on your face is telling me I shouldn't have."

Following him down the hall and towards their bedroom, Spencer's expecting the room to be in shambles the moment Toby opens the door; at least, she's pretty sure this is what's going through his mind, judging by the look on his face. But they see no such outcome; the moment Toby opens the bedroom door, they spot Holden, curled up into a ball of fluff on their bed, and Toby lets out a sigh of relief. "Oh good. He didn't destroy anything."

"But he's sleeping on the bed," Spencer points out. "Which is not okay and not where he was sleeping when I left."

"He misses us." Toby reasons and Spencer shakes her head as the pup stirs.

"He misses you."

Toby smirks, flipping the switch so the bedroom is doused with light, and as he does so, the puppy lifts his head, spots Toby and jumps to his feet, tail wagging. "Hey Holden! Long time; I missed you!"

He sinks onto the bed as Holden gives a yelp of excitement, crawling all over Toby and licking every inch of him. Spencer rolls her eyes. "I told you that you loved him more than me."

"That's ridiculous." Toby replies, chuckling as the puppy continues to climb onto his lap, unable to contain his excitement. "That's not even possible."

"Well, I know he loves you more than me." Spencer says. "While you were gone, he'd fall asleep in his bed over there but I would always wake up, without fail, every morning to him sleeping in bed with me."

"See? He loves you." Toby states. "He wanted to snuggle with you, didn't he?"

"Not exactly. He was sleeping on your side of the bed because he missed you." Spencer recalls and then softens a bit. "And I let him. I didn't want to take that away from him because, hey, I missed you too."

"That's so sweet." Toby remarks and then adds, "But I guess you can't blame him. I did save his life."

"Toby, you didn't save his life."

"I did! Who knows what would've happened to him if we hadn't taken him in?"

Spencer shakes her head. "I can't have this argument again."

"Because you know I'm right?"

"Go take a shower so we can go to sleep." She rolls her eyes as he smirks but obliges. "I'm going to get this munchkin back in his own bed."

"You know Spence," Toby calls from the bathroom teasingly. "Maybe he doesn't like you as much because he senses all your hostility. Dogs are pretty smart!"

"Yeah, yeah, you're funny." She replies and can hear his laughter echo off of the bathroom tile.

It had happened in the winter, on a cold blustery day in mid January, and the reason it had happened, Spencer's sure, is because she'd been in Bristol for a conference. It had been her first ever business trip and she'd been super nervous to be in a city she'd never been before away from her one true comfort here in England, but her excitement, for once, overpowered her nerves. As she sat down in their first meeting, her phone had buzzed in her pocket and, seeing as there were roughly a hundred or so people in the room, Spencer didn't think that it would be too much of a distraction if she took the message. It was from Toby; a photo of a golden retriever puppy, wet with snow, and with the caption, This puppy has been outside our complex for the last three days. He's shivering and he cowers when I come near him. What do I do? Spencer had almost laughed; she'd never had a pet in her life- with the exception of her horses that never came home with her- and she didn't really know what to tell her boyfriend. See if he has any ID tags and call the owner if he does, she'd replied and no less than ten seconds later, Toby had replied, He doesn't have a collar. I'm going to leave him some food and water. It had made her grin; her boyfriend was the most caring person she knew, after all. She'd sent back, Take him to the shelter if he's still there tomorrow. They can take it from there.

And she thought that would be the end of it. It wasn't.

The next morning, as she'd prepared for the seminar that was first up on her schedule, Toby had texted her, Good morning Spencer! I hope you have a great day. Love you! And her insides had melted, as they always do, at his sentiment, but then she'd asked the fateful question: Thanks. I love you too! Puppy still there?

No, Toby had replied, including a picture of the pup, curled up on the couch beside him. He lives with us, now. Don't worry- I got supplies and I'm taking him to the vet later to get his shots. Shelter's overcrowded anyway.

Her eyes had nearly fallen out of their sockets. Please tell me you're joking. We don't have time for a puppy.

I saved his life, Spencer!

Toby! What the fuck?!

I'll let you name him.

And that's how they'd ended up with Holden. Spencer glances at the puppy now, seeming a bit lost without his savior, and caves. "You are extremely lucky you're cute, you know that?"

He barks again, seeming to say, why yes, it's why you kept me around, isn't it? Giving her hand one last lick, Holden hops down off the bed at her instruction and crawls into his own by the door, settling down for sleep. Spencer smirks and changes out of her jeans and t-shirt, pulling on an old shirt of Toby's instead, and crawling into bed. She remembers when they'd first moved here, when they'd first applied for citizenship, when they'd first looked at flats and decided on this one. She remembers the nervous excitement that came with signing their very first lease together, the trip to purchase furniture that had descended into a twenty-five minute argument about a couch, the moment they'd carried their bags and boxes up the stairs to their third story flat only to have Toby lose his grip on one of the bags and watch it careen to the ground below- the bag that, of course, held the lamp and light bulbs- and they'd laughed and laughed until their sides hurt over the broken glass and the unfortunate circumstance.

And she remembers christening every inch of this place the moment it was officially theirs. She remembers that very, very well.

He joins her in bed a moment later and must sense where her mind is, because he groans, "Spencer, I'm so tired."

"I didn't say anything!"

"Your eyes did."

"Why do you know me so well?" She whines, covering her eyes with her hands, and he chuckles, pulling them away. "Get some rest. We have another long day of travel ahead of us tomorrow."

"Ugh. Don't remind me. I thought you wanted me to promise to never take you back to Rosewood?"

"Yeah, and some day, that just might be reality."

He smirks and pulls her closer to him, but she can't quite seem to settle down. Toby's breathing begins to even out, his limbs slacken, and soon, he's fast asleep. Spencer wishes she could say the same. She hadn't had a single issue falling asleep while he'd been gone (except for the fact that, as always, it took twice as long without him) but now that he's back, she's struck with a sudden case of insomnia? It doesn't seem right to her and she frowns in irritation.

She lifts her head off of her pillow, glances at the bedroom door, and knows.

Carefully, she peels herself from Toby's grasp and steps out of bed, grateful for his exhaustion, for he doesn't stir. Holden lifts his head and glances sleepily at her from his bed on the floor, but she puts a finger to her lips to keep him silent and he obeys, tucking back into himself. She can hear it now with every step she takes toward the closed bedroom door. Choose one or all will suffer. Ten, nine, eight. Commence punishment. Welcome. Please follow the lighted pathway. Commence reward. It still hits her- more often than she would like to admit. Her hand closes over the door handle and she holds her breath even though she knows the outcome; it's habit, now. For some reason, she smells death and blood and damp earth as the handle twists and gives way in her hand.

She turns and crawls back into bed, Toby's arm once again draped around her middle, and sleep suddenly comes easy.

She leaves the door open, though. Just in case.

A clap of thunder echoes through the clouds outside their window and Toby awakens with a jolt.

It isn't the weather that's roused him from a peaceful sleep, however; there's movement from the bed and when he reaches out for her, his hand comes back empty and he has the sudden, urgent feeling that he's all alone.

He finds her quickly. She's sitting at the edge of the bed, slipping on shoes and whispering quietly to Holden, who's yelping excitedly at her feet. She chuckles, shushes him, and pets him affectionately and it brings a sappy grin to Toby's face. She can pretend she doesn't like the dog all she wants; he knows the truth. Groggily, he sits and rubs his eyes and his sudden movement calls her attention to his sleepy form. "Where are you going? Are you okay? What's going on?"

"Shh, go back to sleep." Spencer replies softly, coming to sit beside him and kissing him quickly before gently pushing him back against the pillow. "It's early. I have an appointment with Dr. Higdon. Everything's okay."

"Sorry, you worried me, that's all." Toby yawns, watching as she pulls on a coat and reaches for the umbrella hanging from their closet. "Usually, when you can't sleep…"

"You worry too much; I slept wonderfully." Spencer tells him, shooting him a reassuring smile over her shoulder. "It's Thursday; it's just my routine appointment."

Toby nods. "Things still going well?"

"Yep," She confirms. "If it's not pouring later, do you want to go to lunch in Covent Garden? We haven't been on a date in… A week? A week and a half?"

"Not since the night we got engaged, yeah." Toby replies. "Yeah. That sounds great."

"Okay," She grins and leans down to kiss him again. "Go back to sleep. I'll be back in an hour or so. Maybe a little later; I'm definitely going to stop at Pret for coffee."

Toby yawns again, closing his eyes. "You and your damn coffee."

Spencer chuckles. "Hey, it's better here than it is in America!"

She ruffles Holden's scruff one last time before heading out the door and then the flat is bathed in silence. It doesn't take the puppy long to realize she's gone and to hop onto the bed with Toby and it doesn't take Toby long to fall back into unconsciousness, as the rain continues to fall outside his window, the soft pitter patter lulling him to sleep. He dreams, these days, of happy endings, even though they're halfway towards the one he'd promised her all those years ago. He dreams of European travels and sipping wine on terraces and swinging in hammocks on the beach. He dreams of spending every last waking second of his life with her, of marrying and having beautiful children with her, of building a sturdy house somewhere in the French countryside for his beloved and their family and growing old there together. It's not always like this; he's still plagued by the nightmares, too. Sometimes he dreams he never found her and he has to spend the rest of his days sunken in loneliness and despair. Sometimes he dreams he found her, but it was too late and then, he has to bury her. From these dreams, he wakes crying, and Spencer usually wakes too, holding him, kissing him, crying with him.

They'd both endured immeasurable pain. They'd both suffered immensely. But they'd both persevered and they're both healing, together, one step at a time.

Hours later, when the rain clears and Toby awakens a second time, he pushes back the covers and heads over to the dresser, pulling clothes on a bit drowsily and haphazardly making the bed. He starts a load of laundry from the open suitcase of his in the living room while he eats breakfast and feeds the dog, then switches it over to the dryer and takes Holden out for a walk, desperate for fresh air before he has to sit on a seven-hour flight back to America this evening. They haven't been back to Rosewood since this time last year, the anniversary of their freedom calling them back each year, and frankly, in Toby's mind, it's been incredible. Spencer's been working a ton and when she isn't, she's studying because not only does she have a full-time job, but she's halfway to her master's degree as well. She impresses the hell out of him; honestly, he's not sure how she does it. But he wonders if, someday, they won't ever need to make the journey back to Rosewood. He wonders if there will ever be a time when they feel like they've healed enough to never bring it up again.

Things had been tense in the weeks following Spencer's homecoming. She'd gone back to school despite everyone telling her not to and it only added to her mounting stress and, subsequently, his. He'd watched her fall apart numerous times with agonizing, gut-wrenching anxiety attacks, suffering from incessant, horrific nightmares, and struggling with her newfound inability to be alone, no matter how small the timeframe. He'd watched her parents lose their patience with her time and time again and he'd tossed and turned night after night, wondering if she was sleeping, if she was eating, if she was surviving. It was around this time that she started sneaking out, seeking solace only in him, and he was all too willing to give it to her if it was what she needed. She slept mostly soundlessly whenever she was with him and perhaps her parents had realized this and that's why they'd never commented. He never found out. He's sure he never will.

He'd accompanied her once or twice to therapy with Dr. Sullivan, but mostly she'd wanted to go alone and that's how he preferred it, anyway. He wanted her to have every opportunity to speak her mind, to relay her horrors, to begin to heal, and he was never sure if she could fully express everything she wanted if he was in the room. But he'd sat in the front row at graduation and he'd accepted a job in London merely days after she'd told him she'd be attending undergrad there, because he could see the mounting separation anxiety in her eyes and it was about time he made good on that promise, anyway. The tension had left her shoulders the moment her belongings were packed away and they ascended into the big blue sky towards their brand new home. Things weren't always easy in London, either; their trauma caught up to them, the nightmares still found their way into her subconscious, and there was a constant, pressing reminder that even though they'd traveled all the way to Europe, their journey as a healing couple was far from over.

But they'd already gotten through the most difficult part of all and Toby has no other plans but to keep going.

Things weren't always easy in London; it's true. But they've had some really, really good times. Spencer hadn't stopped buzzing with excitement the entire plane ride, first about how eager she was to start over with him by her side, then how appreciative and thankful she was to simply have him by her side through all of this, and then about all the things she couldn't wait to see and do once they were there. From there, they spent months and months getting to know the ins and outs of the city, memorizing it like they were natives of the land, and, slowly, they healed. In her junior year, things got tough, tougher than they'd ever been, and Spencer had been stressed and drowning in schoolwork and desperate for an escape again, for a much-needed break. The trip to Paris had been his idea and he'd cursed himself for not thinking of it sooner. They'd always dreamt of going, before, back when they were high school students learning the romantic language and fantasizing about what the country must be like. He'd embarrassed himself with his very basic knowledge of the language and she'd danced circles around him to no one's surprise. Their hotel room had a spectacular view of the city, the Eiffel Tower sparkled long into the night, and they returned from France refreshed and satisfied and wholly, utterly, completely happy.

It was on that trip, the first of many, he hoped, that Toby had decided he couldn't wait any longer. He'd wanted to marry her for a while now, but those lustful summer nights in Paris had increased his desire to ask tenfold.

He returns to their apartment a little after eleven and finds Spencer's already home. Holden tugs a bit more firmly on his leash as they grow closer and it makes Toby chuckle. No matter what Spencer says, he knows this crazy dog of theirs loves both of his parents equally. He pushes open their front door to find Spencer tossing a few items into a duffle bag, which she eventually zips and tosses at her feet. "Holden's packed up and we can drop him off with Olivia on our way to lunch."

"Sounds good," Toby nods. "How was therapy?"

"Great. Got a lot off my chest." Spencer nods. "How was your walk?"

"Good. We made it all the way to Westminster today." Toby tells her as Holden scampers off to his water bowl and lowers his head to drink. "It's a bit muggy now, but at least the rained cleared."

"Yeah," Spencer nods. "Did you go back to sleep when I left?"

"Yeah, why?"

"So you're rested, then?" She asks, a mischievous look in her eye- one he knows all too well. "And we can stop this nonsense small talk that no one cares about."

Toby chuckles but steps closer, his heart already pounding, his hands at her waist. "I care. Therapy's good for you and I'm glad you're still going. I really do want to know how it went."

"I appreciate that," Spencer replies, snaking her arms around his neck. "But I can think of better medicine."

"Hmm," Toby teases. "Laughter?"

She shakes her head, her irises darken, and suddenly his insides turn to goo. "I really, really hope you won't be laughing."

She kisses him at once and his hands act on their own accord, lifting her into his arms as he walks them back towards their bedroom. He certainly, definitely, does not laugh.

Instead, he tosses her on the bed and reaches for his shirt, removing it with ease as she crawls forward, kissing down his stomach, her fingers working dexterously on the button and zipper of his jeans. She frees him and leans back to pull her own shirt over her head as he kicks the pants aside, crawling on top of her. Her eyes alight with a special fire he's only seen under these circumstances and it still amazes him to this day that he can still bring this out in her, that she still desires him just as badly as she had from day one. She shimmies out of her pants, pushes them off of the bed and then pulls him down so he's flush against her, bare skin on skin, erotic in a way he could never hope to describe in words. They kiss feverishly for a few moments before she rolls them over, presses a searing kiss to his lips and connects their already intertwined, entangled bodies. It's achingly tender and fervently heated, like always, and Toby can never get enough of her.

They spend the rest of the afternoon alternately cuddling and making out and having sex on repeat and by the time they reluctantly leave their love nest to ready themselves for their flight, their stomachs growl in sync and they realize they forgot all about their lunch date in Covent Garden. At this, Spencer looks utterly disappointed; they had, ever since moving away from Rosewood, been trying to make dates a more prevalent part of their relationship seeing as they were denied this basic right when they were teenagers, too busy trying to escape a sure death at every corner. Toby knows she doesn't regret a single thing they did that afternoon- there just simply hadn't been enough time for everything- but he still wracks his brain trying to clear the displeasure in her eyes. Finally, he promises, "We'll have plenty of chances for date nights in Rosewood. Buccoli's awaits us, remember?"

"Yeah," She frowns. "But what about today?"

"Well…" Toby trails off before shooting her a wry grin. "How about we stop for burritos on our way to the airport?"

"Burritos?" She smirks and that disappointment is gone in an instant. "You must think I'm a cheap date."

"You are." Toby teases and she grins. "That's what's so great about you."

She laughs and they head out, dropping Holden off at their neighbor's flat and stopping for sandwiches, not burritos, on the way to the airport. Security, of course, takes years and they end up going to the wrong terminal at first, but eventually, they find their way to the gate and settle in for the long evening ahead. He's not going to lie; he's feeling just the tiniest bit apprehensive about returning to the town of their nightmares, despite the fact that neither of them would be here together if they hadn't lived there first. He hates the town and everything it stands for, everything it had gotten away with, everything it had put the love of his life through and he isn't exactly eager to return. He's afraid of what it'll do to her; each time they set foot in that town, Spencer turns into the withdrawn, anxiety-ridden, paranoid being she had been when she left it and he hurts for her, every time. The gate agent calls for boarding and Spencer stands, eyeing him strangely as he remains still, but he shakes his head, gathers his things and follows her. He doesn't need to burden her with his stress over returning home. He knows she'll just say he worries too much.

He spends most of the flight being incredibly uncomfortable. The middle seat is never his seat of choice; Spencer's in the one by the window, watching the sunset as they ascend into the clouds, and there's a stranger on his right side, in the aisle. He doesn't know which armrest is his and the person in front of him pushes their seat back the moment they reach ten thousand feet and Toby loses all of his legroom. Spencer chuckles and offers to switch seats with him, but the window seat makes him claustrophobic, so he merely shakes his head and settles in for the longest plane ride of his life. They spend most of the flight talking, as quietly as they can because the rest of the cabin is asleep, but when the pilot turns off all overhead lighting and evening turns to night, it's soon clear that they, too, should turn in for rest. Spencer pushes up the armrest separating their seats and snuggles against him and he wraps his arm around her, pulling her as close as he can. She falls asleep easily and he envies her for that; he's never been good on planes and he certainly can't sleep on them. He kisses her crown, leans back against his seat and settles in for the long haul.

The next thing he knows, the pilot turns on the overhead lighting and the flight attendants are combing the aisles, checking seatbelts and tray tables. They're making their final descent into Philadelphia.

Spencer stirs beside him and stretches, yawning a bit before settling back into his side, watching as the streets and lights of Pennsylvania grow closer and closer as they touch the ground safely. Toby doesn't remember falling asleep- he has zero recollection of it, actually- but he stands and stretches when they're able, gathering his things, shaking feeling into his tingling limbs. They'd gotten in forty-five minutes early- the benefit of an overnight flight, he supposes- but Philadelphia is five hours behind London and so it's almost as if they've traveled back in time and it's only a little after eight p.m. Peter Hastings is waiting for them at baggage claim and he looks much grayer, much more worn, than he had the last time they'd been home, but the hug he gives Spencer and the handshake he offers Toby are still just as strong as they've always been. The drive back to Rosewood is quiet; Toby's honestly ready to go back to sleep, but Peter mentions Melissa and her husband, Curtis, are coming over for drinks and to see them and he knows they won't be lucky enough to escape.

He watches the tension he'd spent all afternoon relieving start to creep its way back into her shoulders. They pass familiar places- the Edgewood Motor Court, the church, City Hall- and it grows and grows and this right here is the reason. This is the very reason why he hates coming back here.

"You're here! We've been waiting." Veronica greets them the moment they step through the front door. She embraces Spencer quickly before pulling back to look her up and down. "You're so skinny. Are you eating enough? You look exhausted; are you tired? Jet lag, right?"

"I'm an adult, mother." Spencer rolls her eyes. "I can take care of myself."

"Well, hello you to too." Veronica shakes her head and embraces Toby next. "How are you, sweetheart? Still keeping busy? We heard all about your promotion, Mr. Project Manager. Congratulations, honey. You deserve it."

"Thank you." Toby nods. "It was a bit of a shock. There are plenty of people on my team who deserved it way more than I did."

"Oh, I doubt that." Veronica shakes her head. "Peter, you got their things out of the car, right? Just leave them in the barn."

Peter sighs and turns back outside. "Yes, dear."

"Well, come in, come in." Veronica ushers them into the living room, where she's uncorked a bottle of wine and set out a tray of appetizers fit to feed a village. "I'm sure you're both exhausted but I want to hear all about London and all about you. What's new? You'll have to fill me in."

"Honestly, not much." Spencer shrugs, collapsing onto the couch as Toby takes a seat beside her. "We've been swamped with work and school. We haven't really had much time for anything else."

"And Holden keeps us pretty busy," Toby adds. "I didn't think he'd be as much work as he is. I mean, it's fun work, but still."

"Holden?" Veronica asks, pouring them each a glass of wine, and Spencer nods.

"Yeah. Mom, I told you we adopted a puppy."

"You did not." Veronica shakes her head. "A puppy? You adopted a puppy?"

"Yeah, I have a picture. Hold on," Toby adds and Spencer smirks.

"Mom, it's not a big deal." She shrugs. "I could've sworn I told you last time you called."

"That was months ago!"

"And whose fault is that? The phone works both ways."

"International rates are killer and you know it." Veronica replies, shaking her head. "This is why you need to visit more than, oh I don't know, once a year."

At this, Peter enters the room, frowning. "Oh, not this argument again."

"Peter," Veronica sighs. "They adopted a puppy."

"Good for you guys." Peter nods and pours himself a glass of wine. Toby stifles a chuckle.

"Well, sure it's good," Veronica says. "But some people would prefer human babies. I'd like a grandchild someday, you know."

"Veronica, they're young."

"They are, I'm not."

"Both of you need to relax." Spencer says and Toby's not sure what's going on anymore. "Is Melissa coming? We kind of have an announcement but I don't want her to miss it."

"She should be here shortly," Peter confirms. "I spoke to them before I left for the airport. It's a long commute from the city, but she says she's excited to see you."

Spencer nods. "Yeah, me too. It's been a while."

"Toby, will you be making a visit to see your family as well?" Peter then asks and Veronica swats at him.

"Peter, you know they don't get along." She frowns disapprovingly. "Besides, these two have been together for so long, we're his family, now."

Peter shoots her a look. "Let the man answer, for Christ's sake!"

"Yeah," Toby replies warily, glancing between his soon-to-be in-laws and then at Spencer, who doesn't seem the least bit fazed by her parents' behavior. He wonders if this is how it's been her entire life. "Yeah, we're supposed to have lunch with him tomorrow, I think. But he'll probably cancel; he always gets conveniently busy whenever we're in town."

"I don't think he likes me." Spencer says and Toby shakes his head.

"Spence, I really don't think it's you."

"It's not you. Daniel Cavanaugh has been a thorn in Rosewood's side since day one." Peter announces and though Spencer's eyes are suddenly wide and mortified, Toby finds this, actually, a bit hilarious. "Toby, did I ever tell you about the time I went to court with your father? Some prick from Brookhaven sued him and he hired me-"

"Dad," Spencer interjects. "I don't really think this is something any of us need to hear."

"It's his father!" Peter remarks and turns to Toby. "I never told you this story, did I?"

"No." Toby replies, but he already knows the ending. He'd been ten years old at the time and something- he can't quite remember, now- that was manufactured by the company his father owned had malfunctioned, injuring its customer. He sued, Peter took on the case and lost; Daniel had been forced to pay almost two hundred thousand dollars in settlement. Marion had already been in a bad place and Daniel had taken out his frustration on her- Toby had witnessed the whole thing.

In the middle of hearing this story from Peter's perspective, the doorbell rings and Spencer leaps to her feet. "Melissa's here. I'll get the door. Toby, you want to come with me?"

"Yes." The reply is out of his mouth before he can breathe and Peter is left to tell the remainder of the story to his wife, who scowls with every word he says.

Melissa crushes Spencer in a bear hug that seems much too dramatic and heartfelt for the sisters' relationship, but Toby doesn't question it. She hugs him, too, and he's certain now, more than ever, that there's a first time for everything. Curtis steps over the threshold of the home and collects Spencer in an embrace as well, kissing her cheek as they part in that way Toby knows she absolutely loathes. Neither of them is really the biggest fan of Melissa's husband; upon meeting him for the first time during a double date they'd taken way back when, Spencer had left the restaurant, bursting with the need to complain, and had proclaimed Curtis as a "pretentious, grade-A douche canoe." It had made Toby laugh for about five straight minutes, but he hadn't disagreed. He has all of the pompousness and the smarmy attitude of Wren Kingston, but absolutely none of the charm.

To this day, Toby secretly believes Veronica agrees with them, but she's never said a word.

"… but St. Paul's Cathedral definitely gives you the best view of the city, isn't that right, Spencer?" Melissa asks, nudging her sister's side. "The London Eye is a tourist trap and if you're willing to climb the hundred or so steps to get to the top…"

She'd spent a year at the most living abroad and yet, she always speaks about London as if she and the city are in on some inside joke. Toby can tell Spencer is about this close to exploding, so he murmurs, "Let's tell them now. Everyone's here, right?"

Nodding, Spencer interrupts her sister's rambling about Hyde Park versus Green Park to say, "Okay, I'm actually glad you're all finally here in one place because Toby and I have an announcement we need to make."

"For the record," Peter states before Spencer can finish. "I fully support your decision to adopt a puppy. I don't know what your mother's problem is; we had a cat in the first apartment we ever lived in."

"It was an awful, smelly thing." Veronica shakes her head. "It tracked litter all over the floor and tore a hole in the carpet! We never did get that security deposit back."

"You got a puppy?" Melissa smiles. "How cute! It's interesting you'd get one now, of all times. If it were me, I wouldn't have wanted to add more responsibility to my plate when I'm already juggling school and a full-time job, but for you, Spencer, that's… good. That's really good."

"Wow, okay, thanks. Not what I was getting at." Spencer exhales and Toby places a hand on her knee, keeping her calm. "This isn't about the dog."

"It isn't?"

"No," She smirks and takes the hand he's recently settled on her knee, threading her fingers through his. Warmth floods his veins and suddenly, neither of them can stop smiling. "Toby and I are engaged. We're getting married."

"I knew it," Melissa beams. "I knew there was something different about you!"

"You're engaged?" Veronica exclaims and reaches for Spencer's other hand to inspect the ring. "You've been here for thirty minutes and I didn't even notice!"

"Congratulations," Curtis offers. "Marriage truly is a special time. What a joyous occasion for you both."

"Toby, I always knew you'd be the one to make an honest woman out of her." Peter grins, clapping him on the back, and Toby has never felt more awkward. Well, that's not true; he colors thinking of that time in his loft, many years ago, and shakes his head. "Congratulations! This calls for something more than wine, don't you think? Let me see what I have in my archives…"

He disappears into the dining room as Melissa asks, "How long? Was this recent?"

"Yeah, kind of." Spencer nods. "I mean, it was about a week and a half ago. We were-"

"A week and a half?" Veronica interjects. "You've been engaged for that long and you didn't even tell me?"

"Well, we didn't tell anyone." Spencer shrugs. "We wanted it to be a surprise, so-"

"How did you do it?" Melissa asks Toby next, who grins merely at the memory.

"We went out to dinner at our favorite restaurant," He begins, Spencer beaming from beside him. "And then for a walk through Kensington Gardens. When we got home, I asked if she wanted to play Scrabble-"

"And I never back down from a challenge." Spencer adds and Toby chuckles, nodding in agreement.

"No, you do not. So she went to change and I got the game board set up-"

"Wait, so you got engaged," Veronica repeats as if she simply cannot wrap her mind around the fact. "And I wasn't your first call?"

"Mom, I'm sorry." Spencer pleads. "We just really wanted it to be between us for a while. No one knew; it's not like I was keeping it just from you. I wouldn't do that."

"Well… I suppose that's alright." She sighs but then smiles a little, asking, "Have you set a date?"

"No, it happened literally last week."

"Are you going to get married here or in London?"

"We were thinking a small ceremony in the park, but-"

"Small? No, we don't do small." Veronica shakes her head and then crosses the room to engulf the couple in her arms. "I can't believe you're getting married!"

"I knew I still had a bottle of champagne back there!" Peter reenters the room, grinning, with a champagne bottle and six glasses. He begins to pour and passes them around the room, saying, "This kind of thing calls for some Dom, don't you think?"

"Thanks, Dad," Spencer replies and passes a flute of champagne to Toby and takes one for herself.

"I'd like to propose a toast," Peter clears his throat. "To Toby and Spencer- it has been-"

"Oh, no thank you," Melissa says as Spencer attempts to pass her a share of champagne as well. "I won't be drinking anything harder than club soda for a long time."

All the air deflates from Toby's lungs and he watches as the blissful smile fades from Spencer's face. "You what?"

"Well, since we're all here, it's as good a time as any." Melissa beams excitedly, taking Curtis's hand in her own. "We're pregnant. Curtis and I are expecting a little one in December!"

The room erupts into chaos, with both Peter and Veronica shouting about how thrilled they are and drowning out each other's voices, and it's all anyone can talk about for the rest of the evening.

Including Spencer.

"She has got some fucking nerve." She hisses, spitting toothpaste into the sink. They'd escaped to the barn about twenty minutes ago and no one had even noticed they'd gone. "I mean, of course she did that. Of course she did! It's all she's ever done my entire fucking life."

"It's not fair." Toby shakes his head, pulling back the sheets on the bed and climbing in, rubbing his eyes. "It's not fair to you to have to constantly compete with her."

"Oh of course it's not fair, but what the hell does she care?" Spencer replies, turning off the light in the adjacent bathroom and joining him in bed, exhaling heavily. "She couldn't stand the fifteen seconds where she wasn't the center of attention, so god forbid, she needed to do something to fix that."

"She's so much older than you," Toby yawns as they lie down and settle themselves beneath the sheets. "You'd think she'd be a little more mature."

"You'd think that, but you'd be wrong." Spencer sighs. "She still thinks we're kids and we have to fight for Mommy and Daddy's love and approval. I get an A, she gets an A plus. I come in second, she comes in first. I'm seconds away from winning the state championship in tennis and Melissa mysteriously contracts a case of appendicitis so they have to take her to the hospital and miss the rest of my game, even though nurses and doctors alike prove there's nothing wrong with her within seconds of her being there."

Toby's eyes widen. "That didn't really happen."

"Sixth grade." Spencer confirms and she must catch the look in his eyes, because she adds, "It's fine. It was years ago."

It's precisely the opposite of fine, but he doesn't know what to say. Finally, he asks, "Did you win? The state championship, I mean?"

"Sure did." She grins. "I channeled my anger and frustration into my backhand and I almost hit my opponent, but she was fine. And I won."

"That's my girl." Toby states proudly and she laughs. "We'll tell our friends tomorrow and they'll have a much better reaction, I'm sure."

"Yeah, I think you're right." Spencer nods and snuggles further into him. "I've always felt closer to them, anyway."

The wind whistles outside the barn window and a cool draft slips through the crack beneath the door, setting goose bumps across his skin. He pulls Spencer closer, wraps the threadbare comforter more tightly around them both, and only then notices how very uneasy, very tense, she is. "Everything alright?"

"I don't know." She whispers and her voice has gone eerily hollow. "I always kind of wanted to live out here. I fixed it up and I was so pissed when Melissa and Wren got it instead. But now… This is where it all happened, Toby. This is where it all started."

Realization dawns upon him and he frowns, pressing a kiss to her crown. And he's heard the story a thousand times- a simple sleepover that had turned into a nightmare, the drinking and laughing like any other group of teenage girls would do on summer vacation, awakening to find their world had been forever changed- but it doesn't mean he understands what she's going through. He knows she can no longer go near her old bedroom- too many horrific memories of the weeks she'd been tortured in an exact replica of the space. But why should the barn be any different? After all, this is the very last place she had ever seen Alison alive. She must be thinking the very same thing, for she shivers in his arms and he wracks his brain trying to think of some way to make this easier, to fix this, to take away the years upon years worth of pain and suffering that just being here has resurfaced in her mind.

"We can go somewhere else." He offers and she glances up, her eyes glistening in the moonlight. "We don't have to stay here. I want you to be able to sleep and I'm pretty sure your parents will understand."

"Can we…" She trails off, as if she's too embarrassed to make her next request. "Can we just leave the light on?"

"Of course." He nods, cupping her cheek, pressing a soft kiss to her lips, and then stepping out of bed to honor her request. Instantly, that hollow look in her eyes vanishes and when he returns to her, she curls her body around his, at peace. "Whatever you need."

"I'm sorry." She whispers anyway. "I didn't think it would get to me like this."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." He assures her. "You've made leaps and bounds in these five years, but you're still healing. It's going to take time."

"How much?" She then asks, her tone impatient. "Because I'm sick and tired of being a fucking basket case."

"You're not even close to being a basket case." Toby tells her and when she scoffs in disbelief, he insists, "You're not. You're strong and you're fierce and your resilience has always astounded me. There hasn't been anything, yet, that you haven't been able to bounce back from. Do you know how incredible that is to witness? Do you know how incredible you are?"

Spencer sighs and laces their fingers, admitting, "I just want to forget."

"I know you do. I know." Toby frowns. "And maybe you will, someday. Maybe you won't. But I'll still be just as amazed with you if you don't. I'll still love you just as much even if you need to sleep with the door open and the light on for the rest of our lives. Nothing's going to change that; nothing ever could."

Quietly, she says, "Thank you."

"Of course. I'm not ever going to expect your healing process to be at a certain point, regardless of how much time has passed." Toby promises her and kisses her shoulder, lingering a moment. "You shouldn't, either."

"This is how you got me, you know." Spencer replies a moment later, pulling his arm more firmly around her waist. "You care about me more than anyone ever has in my life and you say all of these wonderful things that make me believe I'm not a horrible person."

"You aren't," Toby contends. "You're, without a doubt, my favorite person on this planet, but you already know that. You're the greatest person I know."

"I don't see how that's possible." She smirks. "But thank you for saying that. I love you so much."

"I love you so much." Toby says. "That's how you got me, you know. You gave me the time of day, believed in me, pulled me out of despair. You loved me when no one else did and more than anyone ever could."

"Still do," She yawns and he grins. "And don't you forget it."

Toby kisses every inch of her he can reach. He doesn't see how he ever could.

"Oh my god, you're here! God, I could just scream!"

"Maybe don't, though, because we're in a public place."

"Don't tell me what to do! Tell them they need to move back to America so we can see them more than twice a year."

"Well guys, the wife does have a point."

"I know, I'm sorry. It's the hardest being away from you guys."

"And us too, right? Or are we just chopped liver compared to the newlyweds?"

"Of course you too!"

"Ugh, Aria, you promised you'd stop calling us that."

"Yeah, it's been ten months. Ten long months."

"Caleb, I swear to god-"

"Kidding, dear."

"Wait, wait, wait, what is that on your finger?"

"She's got hardware! It's an ice skating rink!"

"An ice skating rink? Em, it's a fucking continent!"

"So much for making your grand announcement, huh Spence?"

"You guys, I had a speech prepared and everything!"

"Save it for the rehearsal dinner. We all know how much you love us and how much you love Toby."

"Congratulations, Spence! You too, Toby! I can't believe it!"

"You can't believe it? These two were attached at the hip since day one!"

"True, but-"

"True? That makes us sound codependent, thank you very much."

"I didn't mean it like that. What I was trying to say was-"

"Wait, you're going to get married in America, right? Don't tell me I have to plan your wedding thousands of miles away from-"

"Whoa, who said you got to plan it? It's my wedding."

"Han, you planned your own wedding. Let Spencer have hers."

"Yeah, but she doesn't know the difference between tulle and organza."

"Thank you, but after sitting through hours of dress shopping with you, I actually do."

"What the hell are they talking about?" Caleb asks and Toby chuckles, shaking his head.

"I have no idea." He smirks. "But it's good to be back."

Spencer beams at her fiancé, suddenly unable to contain her joy, and agrees wholeheartedly with his sentiment. They're sitting at a table in the back of the Apple Rose Grille, conversing animatedly like no time has passed between them. It makes Spencer's heart feel so incredibly full. Emily then asks, "Wait, so when did it happen? How did it happen? Give me the details! I'm so excited for the two of you!"

"Me too!" Aria exclaims. "Although, it's recent, right? Toby, tell me you didn't propose in Rosewood. This place is creepy and not at all romantic."

Toby chuckles. "I would have to agree with that. No, I didn't do it in Rosewood. It was about a week and a half ago-"

"A week and a half?" Emily exclaims, turning on both of her best friends. "You've been engaged that long and you haven't told any of us?"

"Hanna knew." Caleb says and Hanna's eyes widen. "Okay, so did I because she told me, but that's not the point."

"Can I just say that I knew from day one and I told no one?" Hanna remarks. "I mean, aren't you proud of me? You're always saying I can't keep a secret worth a damn and that I have a big mouth, but look- it's been a week and a half since it happened and I didn't tell a soul."

"What are you talking about?" Spencer chuckles. "You told Caleb!"

"Well, yeah, but he's my husband." She shrugs. "He doesn't really count. You can't have secrets in a marriage; you'll learn that soon enough."

Spencer rolls her eyes but Aria shakes her head. "Wait, before you guys get into the semantics, how the hell did Hanna know before everyone else?"

"It was an accident." Spencer replies. "I didn't take the ring off before FaceTiming with her and she's a bloodhound. She beat it out of me."

"But she swore me to secrecy," Hanna says. "And I held up my end of the bargain."

"Except for me." Caleb chimes in. "But we've already established I don't count."

They share a bit of laughter before Emily asks, "So? How did it happen? Come on, don't leave me hanging."

"Okay, well, we went to dinner at one of our favorite little restaurants in the city and then went for a walk in Kensington Gardens, which is across the street from our flat. And when we got home, we were going to play Scrabble…" Spencer starts, but trails off, glancing at the love and adoration in Toby's eyes. "You tell it. You did it."

"Really?" He softens a bit. "But you tell it so well."

She suggests, "Together?"

"Okay," He chuckles. "So she went to change and I was getting the game board set up, but instead of leaving it blank, I started taking the tiles and making words that showcased different aspects of our relationship."

"That's so cute." Emily squeals and Hanna nods her agreement.

"And such a creative way to spice up that super boring game."

"Hey," Spencer remarks. "It's not boring at all, thank you. So I came out of the bathroom ready to fight him because he never lets me have first word- and I'm convinced that's how he wins every time-"

"That, or I'm just better at it than you are." Toby replies and she shakes her head.

"Probably not. It's luck." She says and he laughs. "So I look at the game board and I'm like, what the hell is going on? But then I actually read the words and I was losing my shit a little, I'm not going to lie. It was this beautiful walk down memory lane and he had gotten so creative with the letter placements and it honestly would've been enough."

"But then I turned the tiles over so they were blank," Toby continues. "Not all of them; I left a few facing upward so that she could read the message I was spelling out."

"I thought he was just picking and choosing at random." Spencer recalls. "But a few tiles later, when I read, 'Will you,' I got the message. When he got to the end, he pulled the little drawer out from underneath the board- you know, where you store the tiles- and it was empty, except for the ring. And I lost it."

"She said yes." Toby grins at the memory. "And we never did end up playing the game."

"We were a bit, um, occupied." Spencer agrees and the two share a quick kiss, unable to stop themselves.

"That is the cutest thing I have heard all week." Emily shakes her head. "Oh my god. My best friends are getting married! I can't wait!"

"I am so jealous," Hanna shakes her head. "When this one proposed, he did that cheesy restaurant thing where the ring came in the glass of champagne."

"Thanks, man." Caleb nods towards Toby, who smirks in response. "Really making me look good over here."

"Sorry," Toby shrugs. "Not at all my intention."

"No, it was fine. It was great, actually." Hanna assures him. "It just wasn't the epitome of romance like that was."

"Well, now you're stuck with me for life, so that just sucks for you, doesn't it?"

Again, the table erupts in laughter and Spencer asks, "How is married life treating you, anyway?"

"Yeah," Toby wants to know. "Any tips for the newly betrothed?"

"Learn how to say 'yes, dear'." Caleb says. "You're going to be saying that a lot."

"Oh my god."

"I'm kidding, Han." Caleb shakes his head. "No, it's been great so far. We got way too tan on the honeymoon and I couldn't get into work-"

"His office uses facial recognition," Hanna laughs, wiping tears of mirth from her eyes. "And the infrared didn't know what to do; it couldn't pick up his tan so he couldn't get into his own building!"

"That's hilarious," Emily says. "Is Fiji as magical as it sounds?"

"Um, more, I'd say." Hanna replies. "The water is so blue and the sands are soft and white and everyone was so welcoming. We got massages on the beach and ate every single meal on our balcony, listening to the waves, and we had so much sex-"

"Okay." Aria nods. "You could've left that part out."

"It was their honeymoon." Spencer smirks. "What did you expect?"

"Ugh, why am I not there right now?" Hanna groans and then turns to Aria, accusatorily. "Hey, just because you don't have anyone to climb into your sheets-"

"Stay out of it," Aria frowns. "And not that it's any of your business, but I have plenty of bedroom action."

"Oh really? You and Jason are back together?" Spencer asks. "He didn't say anything about it when I talked to him last week."

"Well, last week they weren't fuck buddies and now they are." Emily fills in and everyone's eyes widen- including Aria's.

"Thanks, Em." She emits through gritted teeth. "Remind me to air your dirty laundry out to dry the next time you piss me off."

"Aria, that's really dangerous." Spencer shakes her head. "He doesn't know how deep your feelings actually run for him and by going along with this-"

"Spence, it was my idea." Aria replies and Emily nods.

"Yeah," She adds. "He's the one with the feelings, not her."

"Aria!" Hanna exclaims and she sighs.

"Emily, Jesus, can you shut up? Please? Just for a second?" Aria exclaims. "Guys, it's not a big deal-"

"It is a big deal!" Hanna disagrees. "You can't just lead him on!"

"I'm not leading him on." She insists. "I do have feelings for him and I care about him a lot. I just don't know that I'm in love with him the way he is with me. And how am I supposed to figure that out if I don't try?"

"Date him?" Spencer suggests, the other two girls nodding in agreement. "Sleeping with him over and over is going to accomplish nothing."

Aria smirks. "Well, actually, it'll accomplish something."

"Gross," Spencer pulls a face. "This man is my brother. Why are we still talking about this?"

"Em," Hanna points out. "Your turn. What's going on with you lately?"

"A whole lot of nothing." Emily replies. "Paige and I are off-"

"Again," Aria not so helpfully points out. "Third time this month."

"Second," Emily corrects her, frowning. "And I haven't really been in the dating mood since."

"Aw, I'm sorry."

"Yeah, that sucks."

"You guys," Hanna then says to break up the awkwardness. "I missed you all so much. I know we all have completely different lives and we're super busy all the time and none of us live here anymore, but you're still my best friends and I don't know what I'd do without any of you."

Aria grins too. "I love you guys."

"And I don't mean to break up the love fest at all," Caleb says, glancing at his watch. "But we should probably go."

"Shit," Spencer curses, checking the time. "We've been sitting here for two hours?"

"Let's head out." Emily suggests as they all stand and make their way to the door. "There's someone else we should pay a visit to."

On the way out, the hostess presents Emily with a mason jar of pink lemonade, as is custom, and she thanks her graciously as they take the quick walk towards the center of the town. Alison's memorial is towards the back of the park, large enough to be noticed by onlookers and passersby but not quite featured as the small park's main attraction. Toby and Caleb hang back a little, letting the girls have their time, and the four approach the small fountain, tossing pennies like children, before settling before the bench they had dedicated to her the year everything had gone to hell. A plaque with teeny tiny writing is attached to the fountain, but Spencer can read it from here: In Memory of Alison DiLaurentis, 1994-2009. "Suffering has been stronger than all other teaching, and has taught me to understand what your heart used to be. I have been bent and broken, but- I hope- into a better shape." Emily had picked the quote; straight from Great Expectations, a book she and Ali had both loved.

Alison had asked them one summer, "Haven't you guys ever thought about how deliciously tragic it would be to die in some incredibly mysterious way?" It had given Spencer goose bumps back then, even after Alison had insisted this was the way to go. She craved the mystery, the intrigue, the excitement. She craved the attention, the fanfare, the remembrance. She wanted her name to be known far and wide; she wanted to be the girl everyone mourned, the one people would mention with passing comments of, "Oh, how incredibly, mournfully tragic. She was gone too soon."

Now, Emily places the mason jar at the base of the fountain and the girls share a moment of silence for the fallen member of their group. After a while, Spencer feels Toby's arms come around her and she leans back in his embrace, remembering.

And somewhere, Spencer's sure, Alison is smiling.