Tabitha Smith stood next to the coffin, staring at it with dull eyes. Inside, the love of her life lay, cold and stiff in death.
This can't be happening. That was the single thought that raced through her mind, again and again and again. This can't be happening.
Then it was joined by one more thought. We were supposed to live happily ever after. This can't be happening. What reason do I have to go on?
Samuel Guthrie had been killed only days before. He had been killed, not in battle, not saving the world that hated and feared him, but in a simple car accident. He had been driving back to the X-Mansion after spending the week with her and the rest of X-Force at their new base of operations.
Tabitha still remembered the phone call she had gotten from Scott Summers when Sam had been found.
"Tabitha?" Scott asked.
"Yeah, that's me. What's up Cyke?" Tabitha wanted to know, admiring her newly painted nails.
"Tabitha…there's been an accident. Sam…" Scott broke off, and took a deep breath. Tabitha was immediately worried.
"Sam?! Omigod! Is he okay?! Is he hurt?!" Tabitha cried, her nails forgotten.
"Tabitha…Sam's…Sam's dead." Scott finally said, his voice shaking just a bit.
Tabitha couldn't say anything. For several long minutes she could not say a damn thing. But finally, she managed to get a hold of herself.
"Are-are you sure? Maybe it's not him. It could be a trick! Could be one of our villains trying to throw us off guard!" Tabitha tried to come up with a way, any way that her beloved Sam wasn't dead.
"It's him. We've run every test we know of, and…it's him. I'm… sorry Tabitha. I'm so sorry." Scott had told her, but she hadn't heard him.
The phone slipped from her fingers to the floor, and Tabitha Smith scream in agony.
The priest's words drew her back to the here and now, as horrible as it was. "Ashes to ashes…dust to dust…"
Before she could hear the rest of the priest's words, the world suddenly went purple, and she felt herself falling…
When she finally could force herself to open her eyes again, she found herself in the infirmary. Hank was looking down at her with a dumbstruck expression, and Cecilia hovered in the background. Tabitha pushed herself up to a sitting position, looking around her.
"What happened?" Tabitha asked, turning to Hank.
"You passed out." Hank told her gently. Tabitha put her head in her hands, trying to force back tears.
"He's really gone isn't he?" Tabitha's voice was hopeless. Hank and Cecilia exchanged a look over Tabitha's head, and then the furry blue doctor spoke again.
"Samuel is gone, Tabitha. But-there is a reason, you passed out today." Hank told her, touching her shoulder.
"Tabitha…you know that the Sh'air equipment at our disposal is far more advanced then any earth technology, correct?"
Tabitha nodded, her eyes dead. Hank takes a deep breath, and says softly, "Tabitha we scanned you when you were brought in, for any anomalies. It picked up that you are…how should I put this?"
"Hank." Tabitha said, her voice as dead her eyes. "Just tell me."
"It appears you are pregnant."
"Pregnant? Like…I'm…I'm having Sam's baby?" Tabitha asked softly, putting her hand on her stomach.
"Yes, the child is apparently Samuel's." Hank said, watching the young woman closely. Tabitha smiled slightly, and hugged her stomach.
"At least I have him or her to remember Sam by." Tabitha said, holding back her tears once more. "Maybe I do have a reason to go on now…"