Strangers [COMPLETE]

Chapter 11: Rekindling Romance

"Hey, Toby. I'm sorry I freaked out today. I just didn't know what to say. I'm coming to your place before I pick up Isaac so we can talk. I'm not mad at you. I never could be. I love you." Spencer left a voicemail for Toby, hoping that he'd hear it and forgive her. She knew that things didn't go well that morning between them, but Spencer wanted to forgive and forget.

Toby did hear her voicemail, as he was packing his things. He knew to bring all of his uniforms and other clothes, but he was unsure if he should bring the picture of her.

It would seem too real if he did. The days would seem longer. He'd get more and more lonely with only a picture of her to keep him company. He couldn't bare the thought of not seeing her for eight months. He loved her too much.

He'd miss the sound of her laugh the most. Her laugh was so distinct, and it could not be forged. He'd miss how soft her hair was, or the feeling of her hand holding onto his. Sure, he'd talk to her on the phone once and a while. And if he was lucky, he'd get to video chat with her. But it wouldn't be the same. It was one thing to just see her. He wanted to be with her.

Spencer called him not too long after Toby listened to the voicemail.

"Hey, Spencer."

"Toby!" She exclaimed, relieved to hear his voice, and surprised he even picked up. "Did you get my message?"

"Yeah. I was just about to call you, actually." He said. He wasn't, but he knew it would make her feel better.

"I'm on my way to your place. Is that okay?" She asked. She hated the possibility that she was burdening him with her company. He probably wanted to be alone right now.

"Of course. I can't wait to see you." He said. It was almost as if he could hear Spencer's smile.

"I love you, Toby." She said. She couldn't say it enough. She wanted him to really know that she loved him.

"I love you, too." Toby said.Spencer felt a little guilty as she passed Hanna's neighborhood. She didn't want Hanna to spend extra time with Isaac, but if she wanted to see Toby, she had to. Hanna didn't have any children, as she just recently turned twenty-one, and was not a young mother like Spencer. Spencer felt worried when she first let Hanna babysit Isaac, two years ago, but it turned out, Hanna had a gift with children. Spencer couldn't wait for the day where Hanna would settle down, get married, and have some kids of her own. She knew that Hanna would make a great mother. But for now, Spencer had to deal with Hanna's "I'll only be twenty-one once" phase.

Spencer arrived at Toby's apartment complex, then quickly found his apartment. She nervously knocked on his door three times, then waited for him to answer. She couldn't help but feel nervous whenever she was around him. Not the bad kind of nervous, but the kind of nervous where she would get butterflies every time someone mentioned his name, or whenever he held her hand.

Toby opened the door, clad in gray sweatpants and an old t-shirt. He didn't have to go back to work until the day of his deployment, so he decided to spend the remainder of the day in his sweatpants.

"Hey," he said, his kind voice welcoming her. He invited her inside, and the two sat on the couch.

"I'm not mad at you," Spencer said once again. She needed him to know that nothing he did could ever make her angry with him.

"I know," Toby said, looking at the floor. He wasn't sure why he was avoiding eye contact with her. Maybe it was because he had never seen her cry before. He didn't want to think of her big, mocha brown eyes being filled with tears. He didn't want to think about her flawless skin turning red and puffy.

He looked up at her, and saw exactly what he had imagined. It was terrible for him to think it, but he couldn't help but notice than she even looked beautiful when she cried.

She was avoiding eye contact with him, too. As a child, her father had taught her that crying in front of people was a sign of weakness, and was extremely frowned upon in the Hastings family. When she did cry, she was scolded. Spencer wiped away tears as they streamed down her face, but that didn't change the fact that they were there.

Toby couldn't see his love like this. He moved off of his seat so that he was next to her, and he helped her wipe her tears away. "Baby, you're going to be okay, I promise. I'm always going to be right here," he said, placing his hand over Spencer's heart.

"I don't want you to go," Spencer said. She knew that there was absolutely nothing she could do to change the fact that he was leaving for eight months, but she needed to hear herself say it. She needed him to hear her say it.

"I promise, I'll come back perfectly fine. And when I do come back, then... we'll move in together."

"What?" Spencer asked, slightly in shock.

"When I come back, we're going to buy a house. For both of us, and Isaac. Isn't that what you've wanted?"

Spencer smiled and nodded. She loved that he remembered her insane fantasies of them starting a life together. She truly loved him, and he truly loved her.

The couple lied on the couch, exchanging several kisses, and whispering sweet nothings to each other. The way their lips connected was beautiful. It was like they were meant to be together.

Before Spencer left to pick up her son, she turned around kissed her boyfriend's cheek. They briefly rubbed their noses together, and she whispered, "I'll love you forever."