Disclaimer: Not mine, Marvel's. Sami is mine however, and if you use her, I'll be forced to hunt you down like a rabid sloth.
The moonlight was cool in the warm summer air. The scent of wild flowers mingled in the night air, and the wind blew softly through the trees that were in full bloom. The stars shone brightly in the heavens, twinkling like fireflies. All around, the air was full of the noises of the night.
A streak of light like a shooting star shot across the sky. The light grew brighter as it drew closer to a small one-story house, and began to descend swiftly into the backyard. Suddenly, with the scream of rockets and an explosion of light…Cannonball had come home.
Samuel Guthrie quickly stepped onto patio and through the sliding glass doors of his modest home. As he had expected, his wife and daughter were sound asleep, but Tabitha had left him a plate of food and a glass of milk on the table.
Sam smiled softly, but decided to forgo the food. Quietly, he slipped into his and his wife's bedroom, taking care not to wake her. Quickly, he stripped off his uniform, and climbed into bed with his wife. For a long moment, he stared down at her, his eyes shining with love.
Tabitha Guthrie was, in his opinion, the most beautiful woman ever to grace the earth with her presence. Tonight was no different. Her hair, no longer the peroxide blonde it had been when he had first fallen in love with her, but her true auburn, was splayed about her head, gleaming like a halo in the pale moonlight. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, her lips parted slightly.
Sam sighed contentedly, and bent to kiss her awake gently. Tabitha's clear blue eyes fluttered open, and she smiled softly at him.
"Sam." She whispered, reaching to wrap her arms around her husband's neck and pulling him down for a soft kiss.
"Hiya, honey." He breathed back at her, after he had pulled back from her welcoming kiss.
"How was the mission?" Tabitha asked softly, her eyes glowing with worry.
Sam grimaced then shrugged. "Alright, Ah guess. Ah would have rather stayed home with you and Sami."
"You always say that." Tabitha reminded him gently, her eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
"It's always true." Sam told her.
"I love you." Tabitha whispered to her life mate softly.
"An' Ah love you too girl." Sam whispered into her hair. "Always have, always will."
Tabitha smiled again, and pulled her husband down for another kiss. One kiss turned into another, and then another. For awhile, all the either of them knew was each other's kisses and touches.
Sam and Tabitha had been married for just over five months now. Taking their young daughter Sami's advice, they had bought a house near the X-Mansion but still far enough away to keep mother and daughter out of direct harm's way. Sam flew out to the mansion for training and missions, but spent as much time at home as possible.
Tabitha, for her part, had gotten a job as a receptionist at a local company. Their house, however, had been a gift from Charles Xavier. Tabitha still drove her old truck, from when she had lived in Arizona. Her job paid the bills, and allowed her the freedom to be home with Sami and Sam also.
Sami was currently enrolled in preschool along with the other X-Men's children old enough to attend, namely Alexander Summers and Remi LeBeau. Sami and Remi had been great friends since the girls first met. They both found it incredible amusing that they had been named for their fathers, and they both had the same adventurous spirit, which lead to them getting in masses of trouble, and usually dragging poor Alex along for the ride.
*****
The sun was shining through the open window of the Guthrie's room. Tabitha and Sam were still fast asleep, cuddled into each other's arms.
Slowly the door began to creak open, and a small girl child with auburn hair and cornflower blue eyes poked her head around the door. Seeing both the adults lying in bed together, her small face lit up with a smile that rivaled the rising sun.
The little girl pushed the door all the way open and crept forward on silent feet, just like Aunt Demi had taught her. The carpet tickled her bare feet, and she muffled a giggle.
Suddenly, the small child let out a shriek of joy and leapt onto her parents' bed. Quickly, she wiggled and squirmed her way in between the, giggling like mad.
Tabitha woke up with a gentle moan and a hardy kiss from her daughter. Sami then turned on her father, awaking him in much the same way. Sam's eyes slowly opened and he smiled at his laughing daughter and sleepy wife.
"Hey, Princess." Sam cooed at his child, reaching down to hug her. Sami laughed again and hugged her father hard, accidentally hitting bumping one of his assorted bruises. He grunted quietly but tried to cover it with a laugh.
However, both of the women in his life caught it. "Daddy, what's wrong?" Sami demanded, her blue eyes round.
"Nothing, sweetie. Just a little bruise." Sam assured his worried child, and hugged her tightly. Sami nodded and kissed him nosily on the cheek, then scrambled out of the bed and ran toward the living room to watch one of her many shows.
Sam turned slowly to meet the insistent gaze of his worried wife and smiled gently. "Ah'm okay, Tabitha. Ah just got smacked into a wall.
"Why on earth didn't your blast field turn on?" Tabitha asked, her eyes round.
Sam shrugged. "Ah was a little distracted." He made a face. "Ah started thinkin' about a picture Sami drew."
Tabitha looked at him and smiled softly. Sam reached out to kiss her softly on the mouth and then clambered out of bed. "Come on. Ah'll cook breakfast for you and Sami."
"Sounds great." Tabitha smiled, then her face began to pale. Sam was already headed for the door, so he didn't notice. "I'll be down in a second."
"Alright." Sam called over his shoulder, walking toward their small kitchen.
Tabitha rolled out of bed and raced for the bathroom that was next to their bedroom and collapsed to her knees next to the toilet. Bending over it, she promptly threw up everything in her stomach, and heaved slightly for a few more seconds.
The young woman dropped down to the floor of the bathroom and leaned against the cabinet and sighed deeply. Mentally she added another item to the grocery list in her head.
Slowly, Tabitha clambered to her feet, and walked into the kitchen. Sam was already standing at the counter with Sami on one arm, stirring the pancake batter with the other.
Sami looked over at her mother and smiled. "Mommy, Daddy's making pancakes!"
Tabitha smiled but then felt her stomach turn over. "Umm…will you excuse me again?"
Tabitha darted out of the room and back to the bathroom. Sam turned around and listened with concern as sounds of retching came from the other room.
"What's wrong with yoah Momma?" Sam asked his daughter.
Sami just shrugged her shoulders in confusion.
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