Spoby One Shots

40 • Brother Mine (Part 2)

It was almost ironic, all they'd been through together and THIS is what made the relationship serious.

They pulled away but stayed wrapped in each other's arms, taking in the moment.

"Want to go get dinner?" Toby asked, hoping to keep up the romantic mood as much as he could. Spencer looked confused. "What about-" she started to ask when Toby cut her off. "At Summer's house so Mom and Dad who aren't Mom and Dad get the night off." he said and Spencer laughed.

"Careful, I might develop an emotional attachment and like our child who isn't our child more than I like you." she joked and Toby laughed.

"No way am I letting my girlfriend like my sister more than me, let's go to The Grille." he suggested and Spencer nodded, grinning when he offered his hand and led her out the loft.

Life went from a shipwrecking storm to a steady warm breeze.

Spencer had just under 2 months of Junior year left then it would be her final year of high school, Sunny would be going into 6th grade, meaning she was going to Rosewood Middle School for the first time and Toby was working hard as a freelance carpenter. Finally, everything seemed to be paying off.

Sunny's school life had improved dramatically, with CPS no longer on their case and Toby's name cleared, she was able to fight (verbally, not physically, Toby hastened to add) her battles although these days, she had very few to fight. She was playing on the school's soccer team and was killing it, and although Toby didn't want to sound too "new-age parent"y, it meant she had somewhere to put all her energy.

The last 2 months of the school year past in a world wind of laughter, Scrabble games, movie nights and the simplicity of daily life which for the first time, the Cavanaugh siblings were actually able to enjoy.

It wasn't perfect of course, nothing ever is. But Toby realised when he watched his girlfriend and sister laughing at a made-up word Sunny had put on the Scrabble board, this was really close.

The last night of the school year really showed the Cavanaughs how much life had improved. Toby had picked Sunny up and walked her home, something he didn't do as much these days because she was getting older. She's been sad to see Elementary school go, although all her friends would be coming to Rosewood Middle with her, so they'd stopped for ice cream on the way home (and picked up a tub for the freezer) and then decided to make a "Happy Birthday Someone, Somewhere" cake. Or rather, Sunny decided she wanted brownies so they decided to make a "Happy Birthday Someone, Somewhere" brownie.

Toby watched his not even 5-foot sister in her overalls and messy hair, and his heart swelled with pride. She'd seen so much she shouldn't have so young and yet here she was, blowing flour and cocoa powder at him and laughing so hard she was doubled over.

Toby hoped they'd always be like this. He knew one day she would be grown up enough that he wouldn't parent her anymore, they'd have a sibling bond like any other. And he knew that day was approaching faster now she was a few months off turning 12.

She was soon going to be a teenager, in 3 years she'd be in high school, then hopefully off to college and then she'd be an adult. Toby suddenly understood what parents meant when they said they wished they could freeze time for a while and just enjoy their child being young. Although Sunny wasn't his child, he did everything a parent should do and he knew that he'd miss her being this age, where she was becoming the person she'd be for the rest of her life, but also the age where she needed her big brother.

Another cloud of flour being blown into his face snapped Toby out of his thoughts and he was soon engaged in a brownie batter war which left their clothes needing a wash and chocolate smears on their faces.