Disclaimer: I own nothing in this story. Marvel owns it all. The song is sung by Six Pence None the Richer. Don't sue

Kiss Me

"I hate Lila Cheney. I really do." Tabitha growled to herself, crossing her arms over her chest. Tabitha was alone in her bedroom, sitting crossed legged on her bed. "Why did she have to show up now of all times?"

With a sigh, Tabitha flopped backwards on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. "What is the matter with me?! I've NEVER had this much trouble talking to boys before. Ugh!"

But Tabitha knew, that somehow, someway, this was different. This wasn't a crush…this wasn't a fling. Tabitha Smith was honestly in love with Samuel Guthrie.

"Who'd of thought?" Tabitha asked herself, out loud yet again. "Me…the peroxide fox of the X-Teams, the team airhead…in love with Mr. Dependable and Hard Working, the nice country boy."

Tabitha sighed again, pulling herself back into a sitting position. "Okay, so I love him. What am I gonna DO about it? Hey! Somebody up there…HELP!"

When she got no response, Tabitha twisted her lips into a grimace. Never in her life had she been so utterly clueless as to what she should do next.

The young blonde swung her feet off her bed, and began to pace back and forth. The movement didn't help her think much, in fact, it only succeeded in making her dizzy. With yet another groan, Tabitha threw herself face down on her bed.

Suddenly, some one up above smiled on her. A flash of inspiration hit her over the head, and she knew exactly what she needed to do.

****

"Rictor! Ric, I need you to do me a favor!" Tabitha called, running up to him the next morning.

"Ummm…what?" The Mexican asked suspiciously.

Tabitha rolled her eyes, and snorted. "Nothing you'd actually have to do any work over. I need you to go tell Sam to meet me by the old swing."

"Why would I do that?" Ric asked, grinning gently.

"Because you're my friend. And I'm begging you too." Tabitha pleaded.

"Well, since you put it that way…" Julio said, wondering off to go find Sam.

Tabitha chewed on her lip. As soon as Rictor found Sam, there was no turning back. She sighed gently, and ran out toward the swing. If she hurried, she could get there before him, and have a little time to prepare.

****

"Hey, Sam! Tabitha wanted you to meet her by the swing!" Rictor called, when he saw Sam standing at the end of the hallway.

"What?" Sam asked, jogging up to his friend.

"Tabitha wants to meet you by the swing." Ric said.

"Oh. Why?" Sam asked.

"How would I know? She never tells me anything." Rictor said, walking down the hallway.

Sam watched him go, and swallowed hard. Why would Tabitha wanna meet me? Could she…nah. It couldn't possibly be that…could it?

Sam wasn't sure, and that uncertainty was driving him crazy. He hated to be in the dark about anything. But, the only way to find out what Tabitha wanted was to go talk to her.

Sam slowly made his way toward the old swing. It was hanging in a huge oak tree, near the lake. Sam had gone there often when he had been a New Mutant, but he hadn't realized Tabitha knew about it.

As he neared the swing, he stopped dead in his tracks. When did Tabitha get that pretty? The thought popped into his head so fast he had no time to stop it.

But it was the truth. Tabitha looked very pretty, sitting in the swing, dressed in a violet cotton sundress. The dress was not particularly revealing or tight, but for some reason, Sam thought Tabitha looked incredibly sexy. Sam stopped that thought before he had a chance to go anywhere with it.

"Tabitha?" Sam called, stepping up to her.

"Sam! Hi." Tabitha said nervously, clutching the ropes of the swing tightly.

"Yeah, hi." Sam said, looking down at his feet. "Rictor said you wanted to talk to me…?"

"Um, yeah. I did." Tabitha said.

They were both quite for a minute, blushing slightly. Sam shuffled his feet and Tabitha twirled a piece of her hair around her finger.

"What did you wanna talk to me about?" Sam finally asked, after clearing his throat.

"I…oh…um…nothing. Nothing important." Tabitha said, chickening out.

"Oh." Sam said, his heart plummeting to his feet. "Well, Ah, uh, guess Ah should go now."

"No wait!" Tabitha cried, jumping off the swing. She crossed the distance between them as quickly as she could, coming to rest perhaps two feet in front of him. "Don't leave."

"Okay." Sam agreed, nodding his head. "Why not?"

"Because, I, um…I don't know. I'm sorry, I think I need to go." Tabitha cried, turning and preparing to flee.

"Wait, Tabitha, don't go!" Sam begged, grabbing her arm gently. Tabitha slowly turned around and looked at him with wide blue eyes.

"You have beautiful eyes." The words were out of Sam's mouth before he could stop them.

"Thank you." Tabitha said, smiling brightly.

"And a nice smile." Again, Sam didn't think before he spoke. He winced as soon as he heard himself speak and looked down at his feet.

Tabitha laughed nervously, interlacing her fingers. "Thank you, again."

Sam swallowed and began to blush hotly, "And you have a nice laugh, and… Ahloveyousomuchithurtsinside!"

"What?" Tabitha asked, her head snapping up to look at Sam. Since he was still looking at his feet she would up looking at the top of his head instead. "What did you just say?"

"Ah said…Ah love you so much it hurts inside." Sam said slower this side, his cheeks burning still redder.

"Really?" Tabitha asked, happiness singing within her. He nodded, his eyes still glued to the ground. Tabitha laughed again, this time with relief, and threw her arms around Sam's neck.

Sam looked up when she did that, surprised to say the least. Tabitha smiled at him again, a smile so bright it should have blinded him.

"I love you too Mason-Dixion." Tabitha said.

"Really?" Sam asked, joy shooting through his veins. Tabitha nodded, her arms still around his neck. Sam wrapped his arms around Tabitha's waist, his lips pulled into a happy smile.

"This is great! Ah've never been in love before, but I know that Ah--" Sam started, but Tabitha cut him off.

"Just kiss me, Sam." Tabitha told him, still smiling brightly.

"Yes ma'am!" Sam agreed.

The kiss was full and sweet, long and passionate, and oh so loving. The sun shone down on the two young ones, and made them both shine with a soft unearthly glow. But what was really so bright about them was the fact that they were so obviously in love.

Kiss me out of the bearded barley.

Nightly, beside the green, green grass.

Swing, swing, swing the spinning step.

You wear those shoes and I will wear that

dress.

Oh, kiss me beneath the milky twilight.

Lead me out on the moonlit floor.

Lift your open hand.

Strike up the band and make the fireflies

dance,

silver moon's sparkling.

So kiss me.

Kiss me down by the broken tree house.

Swing me upon its hanging tire.

Bring, bring, bring your flowered hat.

We'll take the trail marked on your father's

map.