Disclaimer: Mine is mine, while Marvel's is Marvel's!

Tabitha Smith stared at the strong back that lay beside her. Swallowing hard, she reached out a small hand to press it flat against the golden toned skin. The owner of the back didn't flinch; she wondered if he even felt it.

Swallowing hard, she ran her hand up his back and across until it rested on his flat stomach. That meant that she had to draw closer, so close that her front rested against his back.

"Sam?" She whispered in the dark. "Sam, are you awake?"

For a long moment, no answer came. Tabitha wondered if she had been mistaken, if Sam really was asleep.

"Yeah." It was whispered in the dark like a curse, harsh and grating and cold and nothing like the man that lay beside her. Nothing like the golden sun that shone in her life, making her come alive again. Nothing like the warmth that she knew he held inside. Nothing like the man she loved.

"What's wrong Sam?" Tabitha asked, worried.

"Nothing. Ah'm fine." His words were clipped and precise, the coldness not bellied at all by his warm Southern accent.

"No, your not." Tabitha told him, sitting up in bed and looking down at him. His long body was stretched out under the covers, the blankets pulled up to his waist.

"Yes, Ah am. Ah'm just tired." Sam told her firmly, turning from her scrutiny.

Tabitha bit her lip and watched him roll over in bed, turning away from her. She wet her lips, and reached out a hand to lay gently on his shoulder, feeling the tenseness of his muscles.

"Did something happen? On the mission?" Tabitha pressed, knowing that something was wrong, something Sam wasn't telling her.

"Nothing happened on the mission." Sam growled, annoyed. Tabitha winced a little at his tone, but kept pressing.

"Did nothing really happen, or are you just not telling me?" She asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Tabitha!" Sam complained, turning to look at her, finally.

His eyes were dark, like the summer skies when rain was coming. Tabitha opened her mouth to say something, but whatever it was didn't seem to want to come out.

"Tabitha, please. Ah don't want to talk about it." Sam continued, looking away from the girl. The girl bit her lip, and swallowed against the sudden lump in her throat.

"What happened Sam? Tell me…I want to help you." The small blonde told him, reaching out again to caress his shoulder.

Sam turned his neck to look at her, as if sizing her up. Tabitha straightened her shoulders, and tried to smile, but her nerves were jingling a mile a minute.

Her boyfriend shook his head, and turned from her. He lay back down in bed, reaching to pull the covers to his shoulders.

Tabitha felt tears prick in her eyes and blinked them away, hurt and angry that Sam wouldn't share his feelings. Taking a calming breath, she swallowed hard, and lay down beside him, lifting one arm and wrapping it around his shoulders.

Sam went stiff when her arm landed on his back, but didn't pull away. For a long second, he didn't even appear to breathe.

Then, he turned over in bed, so that they were face to face. Wetting his lips, he leaned his neck forward and kissed her softly.

"Ah'm sorry Tabby. It's just that…everything just been getting to me recently." Sam whispered to her, pushing a lock of her hair out of her face.

"Like what?" Tabitha questioned, snuggling closer to him.

"Everything. Ah feel like Ah ain't got no control over what's going to happen to me anymore, or even if Ah have a say so in it."

Tabitha didn't say anything; in truth she didn't have. She knew how hard it was for Sam to admit that he felt that way to her, and it touched her heart.

She gathered him closer to her body and held him for a long moment, kissing his forehead.

"Everything's going to be alright Sam." Tabitha told him.

"You think so?" Sam's voice was so pitiful that it nearly broke Tabitha's heart. Swallowing again, Tabitha held him closer.

"I know so."

"How do you know?" He asked, looking at her with bright blue eyes.

"I don't know." Tabitha whispered, looking at him with her great blue eyes. "But I just know that it will be. As long as I have you."

"And I have you." Sam finished for her, smiling softly.

"That's right boy." Tabitha said, poking him in the kidneys softly. Sam chuckled, and hugged her tightly.

"Ah love you."

"That's good, cause I love you too."

Sam's even breathing told Tabitha that he was finally asleep. Leaning forward, she kissed his shoulder softly.

"I'll do whatever it takes to make you happy, Sam." Tabitha swore to him. "Whatever it takes." Darkchilde's Stories