"Sam? What are you doin' in here?" Tabitha Smith asked, shocked.
He looked up at her, his eyes puffy and red. Sam was sitting on her bed in civilian clothes, tracing the pattern on her comforter with idle fingers. When she spoke up, her got up off the bed and stood with his hands behind his back.
"Ah'm not really sure. Ah jus'…Ah jus needed to see you." Sam finally got out, reaching out his arms to her. Tabitha looked at him with worried blue eyes, and crossed the distance between them, allowing him to fold her into his arms.
He held her so tight that she thought that she might break in his gripe. Tabitha wrapped her arms around his waist and hugged him back, still quietly wondering what this was all about. Sam kissed the top of her head, feeling better already.
She'd always had that affect on him, even when they hadn't been together. Tabitha could make him feel like everything would be all right, even when his world was coming down around his ears.
"Tabitha…Ah love you." Sam whispered against the top of her head, kissing her there once more.
"I love you too, but what is it? What's wrong?" Tabitha asked, worried.
"Nothin'. Everythin'. Ah don't know." Sam said hopelessly. He sat back down on her bed, and held his arms out to her. Tabitha looked at him again, but sat down on his knee, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Did something happen? Is something wrong with your family?" Tabitha tried again, getting comfortable on his knee.
Sam shook his head, and just held her to him as tightly as he could. "It's just that nothin' seems to be goin' RIGHT anymore, ya know? The thing with Feral, the thing with Douglock…and Bobby, and Dani, and Prosh…Ah feel like Ah should have done somethin', that maybe it was mah fault…"
Tabitha kissed his forehead, and tilted his chin up to look into her eyes. "Look at me, Sam Guthrie. Nothin' you did had anything to do with what happened with Feral, Douglock, Bobby or anybody else. You did all you could to help them."
"Did Ah REALLY?" Sam asked, looking away from her insistent gaze. Tabitha caught his chin to make him look at her again, and leaned her forehead against his.
"Yes, you DID. I believe that." Tabitha said, her voice soft.
"You're so beautiful." Sam whispered, cupping her face in his hands. Tabitha looked at him funny.
"What brought that on?" She asked, confused.
"Ah was just thinkin'." Sam said softly, kissing the tip of her nose.
"This might be dangerous ground." Tabitha teased gently, laying her had on his shoulder.
"Funny, girl." Sam said into her hair, inhaling the sweet scent.
"I know. I'm just good that way." She deadpanned softly.
Sam sighed, and hugged Tabitha tightly. "Ah feel like Ah never get to see you anymore."
"That's cause you don't." Tabitha reminded him, her face falling into a hurt look. That look hurt Sam more than any villain's weapon ever could.
"Ah'm sorry, honey…Ah just…got so caught up in bein' an X-Man, Ah forgot." Sam told her, a tear slipping down his face.
"You forgot about me?" Tabitha asked, her voice squeaking just a little bit.
Sam pushed her back until he could look into her eyes, and kissed her firmly. "No!" He said after they broke.
"Then what do you mean?" Tabitha asked, looking at him with eyes bright with tears.
"Ah mean…Ah…Ah forget sometimes how MUCH you mean to me. You mean the world to me girl…all Ah gotta do is see your smile, and Ah feel like AH could save the world." Sam struggled to explain.
Tabitha looked at him, her teary eyes evaporating into nothing but love. "Oh Sam…I KNOW you can save the world."
Sam smiled shyly, hugging her tightly. "When you say it Tabby, Ah believe you."