(1) When We Collide (T. Stark)

Chapter Twenty

Spencer sits on the couch in her childhood home, running her hands over her jeans and looking around. John leans in the doorway watching her. He walks into the room and sits next to her handing her a glass of water which she takes.

"Tony just called and said you just ... took off all of a sudden" John offers.

"Tony? Right" she whispers and then turns to him. "Let me ask you a question. When I was a baby, what did you do to get me to sleep?" she asks him.

"Spencer, I don't understand..."

"Just answer the question" she snaps a little.

"I'd sit with you in front of the tv" he answers her. "Hold you in my arms, you'd cling to my hand like your little life depended on it till you fell asleep, but every time I moved you'd wake, so I'd sleep with you in front of the tv"

"I don't believe it" she whispers and then hugs John.

"Sweetheart, you're kinda scaring me" John tells her causing her to pull back. "Now just tell me what's going on"

"You don't think that wishes can, can really..." she starts and then stops.

"What?" John asks her.

"Forget it" Spencer answers and hugs him again. "Forget it. I'm just uh... I'm happy to see you, that's all" She almost starts crying but pulls it together and releases the hug, looking at her father.

"What?" John repeats noting her expression. Spencer clears her throat a little and stands.

"Hey, when I was uh... When I was a baby was there ever a fire here?" she asks walking towards the wall, looking at the books and pictures.

"No. Never" John answers.

"I thought there was" She sees a picture of John and Mary smiling with Dean, Spencer and Sam as little kids in front of them. "I guess I was wrong" She sees another picture of Dean in a cap, looking cool into the camera. Another picture of Spencer and her prom date, clearly taken at prom. Another of Sam as a graduate. Spencer picks up another picture. It's in black and white and shows Mary, dressed in a sundress at the beach with Spencer, and a younger Trinity. "Mom met Trinity?" she asks softly. She turns around, to see John looking at her seriously.

"She adored that little girl" John tells her.

"Mom's dead?" she asks him, John frowns at her. "And the thing that killed her was a..."

"A stroke. She died in her sleep. You know that" John answers her, she nods.

"That's great"

"Excuse me?" John asks.

"That - that's great. That she went peacefully, I mean. It sure beats the alternative" Spencer answers.

"You've been drinking" John scolds.

"No, I haven't. Dad"

"I'm just gonna call Tony and have him come pick you up, Okay?" John moves to pick up the phone.

"Wait. No, no!" Spencer argues and moves, putting her hand over his over the phone he's about to pick it up. "Don't - don't do that. Don't do that. I wanna stay here"

"Why?" John asks her.

"Because I-I miss the place. It's okay, you - you go to bed. Okay?" Spencer asks him and then she goes over to the couch, sits down, and looks around a bit. John walks up to her and strokes her hair tenderly.

"Are you sure you're all right, sweetheart?" he asks her, she nods.

"I think so" she answers quietly.