Spoby One Shots

9 • Define "Love"

There was something about Liliana Cavanaugh which was obvious to even the most in-observant of people: she was every inch her mother.

Toby had joked about Liliana possibly not even being his child at all she looked so much like her mother. She had the long chocolate curls, the big brown doe eyes and the same upright posture as her mother. Her brain too was something she had inherited. She had questions and she wanted, no, needed answers.

Both her mother and father found this a rather trying quality but they always did the best they could to answer her.

The final similarity between Liliana and her mother was the fact that both were utterly adored by Toby Cavanaugh.

Every night, when tucking Liliana in, her father would say: "Good night Princess, sleep tight, mommy and daddy love you."

After hearing that every night for 5 years and 4 months Liliana decided to make it her mission to find out exactly what this "love" was.

She heard her parents say the word to each other a lot. Normally followed by a kiss which of course, she let both of them know was "absolutely disgusting and I will never in my life kiss a smelly boy."

Both her parents found this hilarious and her mother would say "Just wait until you fall in love, Lil. Everything changes then." She would smile up at Toby and they'd embrace, it seemed like they were afraid to let go sometimes.

Back to Liliana's mission. After her father had repeated the usual bedtime sentence one night Liliana looked into his bright blue eyes and said, quite simply: "Daddy, define love."  Toby looked thoughtful for a moment before saying "I don't think I know the right words to answer that question Princess. Why don't you ask mommy when she's back from her business trip tomorrow?" Liliana thought this a great idea, after all, daddy always said mommy knew everything. Including how to make flan, which she didn't really understand but whenever daddy said it mommy laughed.

The next day after school, after asking the question to her teachers and fellow students alike and still not getting a satisfactory answer, Liliana resolved to ask her mother as soon as she could.

Luckily, Spencer had arrived back from her trip early and was looking through some of her papers before a big trial coming up.

Liliana ran into the little office Toby had deigned specially for Spencer's law work and Spencer just picked her up in time before she ran straight into the wall. She held her daughter on her lap and hugged her tightly to her chest, loving the tiny human that was half her and half the person she was hopelessly in love with.

"Oh, I missed you little one." Spencer whispered into her baby's hair. She'd only been gone a couple of days but it felt like a lifetime.

Before Toby had gone to pick Liliana up from kindergarten Spencer had made sure he knew exactly HOW much she'd missed him...

Afterwards, when they had just been snuggled up in bed Toby had told her about their daughter's question. Spencer had laughed and both of them said at the same time "She's definitely your kid."

Now, Liliana turned to face her mother and replied "I missed you too, mommy. I have a question and daddy said to ask you."

Spencer raised an eyebrow, knowing what her daughter was about to enquire. "Did he now? Well, I'm all ears."

"Can you define love?" Asked the 5 year old.

Spencer stroked the girls hair slowly, thinking about her answer. "Well, I think it's difficult to describe but I'll try my best."

She had no idea how to describe such a powerful feeling to such a small person but she decided to treat it like a case. Break it down.

"There are different kinds of love. There's the way I love Nana and Grandpa Hastings, there's the way I love Auntie Aria, there's the way I love you and there's a way I love daddy."

Liliana's eyes went wide. "All of that is just one thing??? Love sounds exhausting!" She said dramatically.

Spencer laughed and continued: "I love Nana and Grandpa Hastings because they raised me and looked after me for 18 whole years! They made sure I got into a good school and that my grades were high.

I love Auntie Aria because she's my sister even though we're not related through blood and she's been through everything with me, I love her because I can tell her anything and she won't feel any differently about me and I love her because no matter what, she's always there." Spencer said, gently rocking her daughter on her lap.

Liliana nodded her head, showing she wanted her mother to go on.

"I love all of them very much but more than them, I love you. I love you because you're my baby and because you're half me and half daddy. I love you because you're beautiful and smart and funny. I love you because you're curious and kind and I love you because you're my very own person and there will never be another kid exactly like you." Spencer finished, looking into her daughters big brown eyes, seemingly identical to her own.

Liliana slid her small arms around her mother's neck and snuggled in. "And daddy? How do you love daddy?"

At this point Toby himself walked in and smiled at the sight of his wife and daughter cuddled up. "Yeah mommy," He said, causing Spencer to look up at him from her chair and smile. "How do you love daddy?" He asked, settling himself on the carpeted floor.

"I love daddy in a different way than how I love anyone else." Spencer began, her focus drifting back to the child on her lap.

"I love daddy because he protects me, he is kind and caring and a wonderful father.

I love daddy because he is my best friend, my safe place to land and my pretty eyes.

I love daddy because I can tell him anything and because I trust him.

I love daddy because no matter what, we'll always have each other and sometimes that's all you need.

I love daddy because he makes me feel beautiful every day.

I love him because he helps me. I love him because he isn't afraid to cry. I love him because he built this entire house especially for us.

But I think most of all, I love daddy because he gave me you and that's everything to me." Spencer finished.

Toby silently wiped away a tear that had trickled out his eye during this heartfelt explanation. Liliana smiled into Spencer's neck and asked "Will I ever love someone like that?"

Spencer smiled and started to stroke her hair again. "I really hope you do my girl, because loving daddy was the best thing that's happened to me."

Spencer looked over at Toby as she said this and saw her husband smile the type of smile that only came out once in a while. The smile when something so incredible was happening he couldn't smile any other way.

Later that night Spencer was snuggled in to bed, her head on Toby's naked chest and her hand over his heart, feeling the soft beat.

Toby kissed her head and whispered one thing before closing his eyes "Thank you for loving me almost as much as I love you."

And Spencer replied back "Always Cavanaugh. Although I definitely love you more."

In the end it wouldn't matter who loved who more as long as they did love each other. And they did. So. Much.