Random chapter is random. This was not a chapter that was requested, or one I had originally planned to write, but I just randomly got the urge to write it... so I did.
I hope it helps you guys get over the whole back-to-school downer effect that's been going around. It's Jim and Tabitha fluff, and I know you guys like Jim and Tabitha fluff... Or any fluff, for that matter. :)
Enjoy!
Jim could do nothing more than stare at the door from across the street. Was he really about to do this? Was he really about to buy an engagement ring for Tabitha? Every part of him was telling him yes, but it all seemed so surreal.
It was shocking, really. Jim never would have guessed this is how his life would play out: that his first girlfriend he would meet on a voyage to a legendary place from his favorite childhood story, that she'd come back and live with them, that they'd go to the academy together... He'd had no idea that she would change his life so much, that he would fall in love with her. Because that's what he was - in love with her. It had hit him all of a sudden, really, out of the blue one night.
It was new year's eve. Jim's mother had moved back into the new Benbow Inn while the finishing touches were put on, and so Jim and Tabitha were there as well during their winter break from school. While Mrs. Hawkins and the Dopplers had stayed in the kitchen, Jim had taken Tabitha out onto the roof to watch the fireworks someone was shooting off in the distance. He'd wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she'd leaned into him and sighed.
That's what had caught his attention - that sigh. It was contented, and happy, and carefree, and he suddenly found himself staring at her, watching the light from the explosions play across her face, sparkle in her eyes, make her smile. That's how it hit him. Like the brightness of a firework in the night sky, something seemed to explode within him as he he realized he was in love. Really in love. With every thing about her, every moment that they'd spent together, everything they'd shared together. All of it, plus reasons he couldn't even begin to imagine yet, but knew he'd find out as well.
"Tabitha," he'd suddenly blurted out before he'd even consciously made the decision to do so. She turned to look at him. "I'm - "
Somewhere along the line, the signals in his brain had gotten crossed, and he found he'd lunged forward and kissed her before he'd finished his statement. It was also more forceful than he'd meant for it to be, as if he was trying to express every emotion with that one gesture, and Tabitha ended up falling back slightly in surprise before Jim lowered his hand to her back to hold her, where she finally melted into the kiss as well.
"5!"
From somewhere downstairs and all across Montressor, there was a countdown as the seconds ticked closer to the new year, but neither of them pulled away.
"4!"
Tabitha repositioned herself nearer to him.
"3!"
Jim pulled her even closer.
"2!"
Tabitha's hands wandered to his chest.
"1!"
Jim's fingers brushed through her hair.
"Happy New Year!"
Jim pulled Tabitha to him, hard, trying to explain everything without speaking. Could he express how madly in love he was with her without letting their lips part? He tried, shocking them both with the intensity of the moment, something that had taken them both fully by surprise. Tabitha sighed once again and Jim finally pulled back, leaving them both completely breathless.
"Tabitha, I..." he stopped, panting heavily, staring into her dusky blue eyes, lightheaded from something he knew wasn't the champagne from that evening. "I... I think I'm - "
Tabitha stopped him by initiating a quick, delicate kiss. Then, she didn't do anything but stare at him... and Jim relaxed. Something in her look reflected exactly what he was feeling, as if it was saying 'I know exactly how you feel'. The smile she cast him was brighter than the fireworks that were now drawing to an end. She knew. He didn't know if she'd just realized it as well, or if she'd known for ages... because now that he thought about it, when had he not felt this way about Tabitha? Was there ever a time he didn't want to be close to her, hold her, kiss her? Had he ever passed up an opportunity to watch her face light up the way it did, or smile, or laugh? Hadn't he always wanted to do that for her? He knew he could trace it back to that night on the Legacy he'd showed her the shooting stars...
Had he always been in love with Tabitha?
When Tabitha pulled his lips to hers again, everything said yes. Yes, he'd always loved her. Yes, he always would love her. Yes, she was the most amazing girl in the Etherium and he'd be insane not to spend the rest of his life with her. That's what he wanted, more than anything else - to spend every new years like this, with her, and as Tabitha lay down, coercing him to follow to continue the kiss, something told him that he would.
That had been over two months ago. They'd gone back to the academy a few days later, and he'd never gotten around to actually saying it. He wasn't really worried about it, not after that night. It was clear she felt the same way, but now he was facing his next concern - proposing. Even the word sent chills down his spine. It scared him, but more than anything, he wanted to be tied to her, to not have to worry about ever losing her.
So here he was, standing outside of the jewelry store on Crescentia. His mom had sent him to pick up some groceries, but thankfully, Tabitha had still been asleep, and he seized it as the perfect opportunity to go ahead and get a ring.
Finally, after stars knows how long, Jim took a deep breath and made his way quickly across the street and into the jewelry store, not pausing long enough to chicken out. His eyes quickly adjusted to bright white lights overhead and in the various glass cases. He did a once over of the store - gold and silver, diamonds and rubies, princess and square cuts... This was so out of his league.
"Stars, help me," he breathed as he ran a finger through his hair.
"Good morning, sir."
The voice made Jim jump about a foot in the air as he turned to face the salesman. He was tall and skinny, with an appearance very similar to Captain Amelia's, save for his fur was a dark brown color and his eyes were a bright green. Jim couldn't help but compare the felinoids black suit and tie with his own baggy pants, rumpled shirt, and old jacket, and once again reached the conclusion that he was way out of his element here.
"Is there anything I can help you find today?" the man asked in a cheery voice.
"Oh, erm, no... thanks," Jim stammered, unsure of why he was turning down his help.
The felinoid smiled. "Alright, well if there's anything I can help you with, just let me know. My name's Charles."
"Right. Thanks," Jim replied.
As Charles took his place behind the counter, Jim made his way around the store, glancing into the glass cases on either side of him. What the hell was he doing here alone? He should have brought his mom, Dr. Doppler, Graham, or simply accepted the sales clerk's help when it was offered. He seriously needed some moral support. A wave of panic swept through him, along with the heat of embarrassment. He couldn't do this. Not right now. He'd just have to leave looking like an idiot and come back later when -
"You look familiar."
Jim looked up, slightly confused at the sudden statement. "Uh... I was here a few years ago, to get a birthday present for my girlfriend."
"I don't think that's it," Charles frowned thoughtfully. "I've handled so many customers, I doubt I would remember you, unless you bought something very memorable."
"It was just a necklace," Jim shrugged. "Two stars with, um, purple stones..."
The felinoid observed him for a minute, then clapped his hands together. "I know! The Benbow Inn, on Montressor. Your mom works there, I believe."
"Um, yeah. She owns it."
"Your mother is Sarah Hawkins?" Jim nodded. "So you're Jim then?"
"Yeah, that's me. Jim Hawkins," Jim said.
"Every time I go, I hear her bragging about you. Not that I get to go often," Charles continued. "But I do whenever I can. She makes a great bonzabeast stew."
Jim chuckled. "I make that, actually."
Charles raised his eyebrows in surprise and laughed. "Well, my compliments to the chef."
"Thanks."
"So are you here for her?" Charles questioned. "Or is this for your girlfriend again?"
"Girlfriend. Tabitha," Jim answered.
"Anniversary?" he smiled.
"No."
"Birthday?"
"No..." Charles eyed him curiously and Jim chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "It's... well, I'm... going to propose..."
Charles blinked in surprise. "Well, now, that's an awfully big step. You sure?"
"I've never been more sure about anything in my life," he answered determinedly.
"I had a feeling I'd get an answer like that from you," the clerk smirked. "Alright, now, let's see: You said you were here a few years ago, and you bought that necklace for her, right?"
"Yeah," Jim agreed.
"And did she like it?"
"She loved it."
"Well, clearly you know what she likes then. However, rings, especially engagement rings, tend to be a bit trickier. More options and all that. Are you sure you wouldn't like some help?"
Jim sighed and shook his head as he chuckled. "Yeah. Yeah, help would be great, thanks."
Charles escorted Jim around, showing him the various types of rings. Jim quickly ruled out the typical silver band, single diamond look. It didn't look even remotely like something he could ever see Tabitha wearing, and he made this clear. So they slowly branched out from there, first looking at different cuts for the diamonds, then different colors for the band, different settings...
"You certainly know what you don't want," Charles laughed.
Jim felt his face warm. "I'm sorry if I'm taking up too much of your time."
Charles clapped a hand on his shoulder. "In case you haven't noticed, you're the only customer I've had all morning. Besides, knowing what you don't want is a good thing. I've helped plenty of gentleman who didn't have a clue what their future fiance's would want or like. You're better off then them."
"I guess," Jim mumbled. "It's just that... Tabitha isn't ordinary. She needs something different. I just can't picture her wearing something as typical as a simple, diamond ring. That doesn't seem like her at all."
"So let me see," Charles began. "Something different, not too simple, and without a diamond. Sound about right?"
"Can you get an engagement ring without a diamond?" the confused young man questioned. "Isn't that a rule or something?"
Charles laughed heartily. "Lad, you need to get your story straight. One minute you're telling me that Tabitha is anything but ordinary and the next your telling me you want to stick to the stereotypes for her engagement ring. Now which is it?"
"It's the first. Anything but ordinary," Jim chuckled.
"Right. Now, I think I have an idea of what you might be looking for..."
Charles lead him over to yet another glass case, this one containing the strangest variety of rings. They were not organized and uniform like most of the other cases had been. This box consisted of every size, cut, style, and color you could ever want.
"I have the feeling that something here might be - "
"That one," Jim interrupted, pointing out the ring he knew would be Tabitha's future engagement ring.
"... more to your liking," Charles trailed off as he turned to look at the ring in question. "Which one?"
Jim pointed it out. He knew it didn't look anything like an engagement ring, and he knew that Tabitha would love it. Charles unlocked the glass case and pulled out the item, handing it to Jim so he could observe it more closely. The band was silver. In the center was a small, round, aquamarine stone, and beside it were two even smaller, round, orange colored gemstones. If they'd been any bigger, the ring probably would have looked gaudy, but they were just small enough to catch your attention and refract the light. It was different, but not so different that it would be considered weird. It was beautiful, and Jim knew it was perfect.
"So that's it then?" Charles asked.
Jim smiled, not taking his eyes off the ring. "Yeah. That's it."
"Well, alright. Let's get this ring bought and paid for," Charles said as he took the ring from Jim and made his way over to the cash register.
Jim froze. "Um... how much is this going to cost exactly?"
"Well, let's see..."
Charles scribbled down notes on all of the details of the ring and calculated the total, pointing out the final amount to Jim.
Jim almost fell out. He didn't have that much. He didn't have nearly that much. At least not with him. He had plenty set aside that he'd been saving for years, 'just in case', but he stupidly hadn't thought to bring it. He couldn't bring himself to say it, to put it back. It was perfect, and he didn't want to risk losing it because someone came and bought it before he had the chance to return. He'd have to figure out something else to -
"A few dollars short?" Charles questioned.
"Yeah, a few..." Jim mumbled the understatement. "Sorry. I didn't think to - "
"Mr. Hawkins, you aren't the first to find the perfect ring and not have enough," the salesman smiled. "Which is why we can put it on hold for you."
Jim's face lit up. "You can?"
"Yes, for 60 days."
His face fell again. "That won't work."
"Afraid you still won't have quite that much?" Charles asked sadly.
"No. It's just that we leave to go back to the Academy tomorrow, and we won't be back until after graduation."
"Closer to 90 days, eh?" He looked around nervously, double-checking to see if they were still alone in the store. "Alright, I'll make a deal with you. You seem very determined to get this ring - "
"I am," he assured the felinoid.
"So I'll make sure that it's still here when you return after graduation."
"Really?" Jim asked excitedly.
"Yes, but don't tell anyone!" Charles smirked. "I'm not really supposed to do this, but I think I can make an exception for someone who makes such exceptional bonzabeast stew."
Jim laughed. "Wow, thanks. Thank you so much!"
"Here you go: One bowl of bonzabeast - Oh," Jim stopped as he approached the table. "Hey!"
Charles chuckled and put down the paper he'd been reading. "My coworker told me you stopped by yesterday. I came to see how things were going... in that aspect."
"Oh, right, um, well..." Jim looked around and lowered his voice. "I haven't done it yet, but I've got it all planned out. I'm going to do it this weekend, after - "
"Jim!"
Jim jumped at the sound of his name. "Oh. Hey!"
Tabitha smiled. "Dr. Doppler told me that he needs to talk with you."
"Did he say why?" Jim asked in confusion.
"Nope, but he was smiling, so I guess it's about something good," she laughed.
Jim chuckled and suddenly remembered his manners. "Oh, Tabitha this is Charles. Charles this is Tabitha."
"Hello," Tabitha greeted as she shook his hand. "How do you know Jim?"
"Well, I frequent the inn as often as I can for the bonzabeast stew, but I also sold him the necklace he gave to you for your birthday a few years ago."
"This one?" Tabitha gasped as she reached under her blouse to grab the small charm that was dangling on a silver chain.
"You're wearing it?" Jim asked in surprise.
"Of course," she smiled.
"Yes," Charles laughed. "That's the one."
"I love it. Did you help him pick it out?"
"No, ma'am. Mr. Hawkins here picked it out all on his own."
"Really?" Tabitha turned and smiled at Jim.
Jim scratched the back of his neck and shrugged, a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
She leaned over and quickly kissed his cheek. "Thank you. Again."
Charles laughed as Jim's face flushed slightly. "Did you attend the academy as well?"
"Yep," Jim smirked, casting Tabitha a sideways glance. "She graduated Valedictorian at the Interstellar Academy of Medicine."
"Really now? Well, congratulations!"
She blushed modestly. "Thank you."
"Seems Jim here's lucky to have you," Charles winked.
Tabitha bit her lip. "Actually, I think I'm lucky to have him."
Tabitha caught Jim's eye for a second and he grinned. Before her cheeks could flush any brighter, she left the room and the chuckling pair of men behind.
"Well, judging by that, I don't think you have to worry about what her answer will be," Charles assured.
"Thanks," Jim smiled. "Well, um, enjoy your meal. I've got to go see what Doc wants."
"Of course. And Jim?" Jim turned around and raised his eyebrows. "You were right. She is certainly anything but ordinary."
With a smile, Jim turned and headed into the kitchen, only to be greeted by Dr. Doppler staring at him nervously, as if he'd been waiting for him to enter the room. He stopped, wondering how Doc's demeanor had changed from the one Tabitha had mentioned a moment ago.
"Jim, I need to speak with you," he stated.
"Uh, okay?"
"About your relationship with Tabitha."
Jim gulped. "What about it?"
"You know I've been helping your mother out, since so many guests have recently arrived for the grand re-opening of the inn?"
"Yeah..."
"Well, I was helping with the laundry this morning and - " Dr. Doppler sighed and held out a small black box. "I found this in the pocket of your trousers."
Jim's eyes widened as he stepped forward and grabbed it.
"Jim, marriage is a big decision, especially for someone as young as you!"
"Doc, I - " he stopped and glanced around, then decided to keep his voice low just to be on the safe side. "I know we're young, but we've been dating for three years, and I've never even come close to feeling the way I do for Tabitha with any other girl. She's the one, Doc. I'm in love with her, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her."
"But are you sure? Absolutely certain?" Delbert asked worriedly. "How long ago did you decide this?"
"I realized on New Years Eve that that was how I wanted to spend every beginning of every year for the rest of my life. With her. I can't even imagine living without her. I-I'm going to propose." Delbert sighed, looking the young man over anxiously. Jim clenched his jaw. "Why is it so hard for you to believe that I'm in love? We've dating three times as long as you and Amelia were before you proposed, and - "
"I never said I didn't think you were in love." Dr. Doppler smiled. "I know that you are. It's clear as day."
"You aren't trying to stop me?" Jim questioned.
He chuckled. "Not at all, and I don't think I could even if I was. I haven't seen you sound so sure of anything since you were begging Sarah to go to Treasure Planet."
"Doc, I'm a hundred times more sure about this than I was about that."
"I believe it. I just wanted to see if you needed any fears quelled, and to say that you're welcome for keeping this hidden from Sarah. Do you have any idea what your mother would have said if she'd found this?"
Jim chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I can imagine."
Dr. Doppler smiled, placing his hands on the boys shoulders. "It's going to be alright. You seem significantly more calm than I was when I proposed to Amelia, and you have every right to be. I've watched the way you and Tabitha interact since the beginning, and if what the two of you have isn't love, I don't know what is."
That had been almost two years ago. The next few months were spent in Lacuna until finally had the chance to propose. The six months after that were spent with Jim grounded and he and Tabitha planning the wedding. Now, one year after their wedding day, they were just as in love as ever, and anyone in the Etherium would know it just by looking at them.
"Okay, I'm here," Tabitha announced as she came flouncing out onto the porch of the Benbow the night of their one year anniversary. "Jim?"
Suddenly, a piece of fabric covered her eyes as someone wrapped a blindfold around her from behind. She smirked. "Jim, what are you doing?"
"Surprising you," he whispered in her ear.
"I know that," she said, reaching out her arms to help guide her. "But what kind of surprise? Why do I have to be blindfolded?"
"Can't you just trust me?" he asked, taking her outstretched hands in his own.
"Give me one good reason I should," she smirked.
Jim's hand reached around to the back of her head and pulled her into a kiss. "That good enough for you?"
"I guess so," she sighed in mock disappointment.
He laughed quietly and leaned in to whisper, "There's more where that came from."
"Oh?" she asked coyly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
Jim laughed and leaned down to kiss her again, his hands pulling her hips closer to him. "Hey, what are you doing in my shirt?" he asked amusedly as he finally noticed she was wearing one of his button up shirts.
She shrugged, but a teasing grin stretched across your face. "What's it matter? We're just going to be taking if off later anyway, right?"
Jim thought about this for a minute, then stopped. "Okay, you know what? New plan."
"What do you mean new - ah!" Tabitha squealed as an arm scooped up her legs and lifted her off the ground. "Why are you carrying me?" she laughed.
"It would take too long to try and navigate you to where we're going."
"Why are you suddenly in such a hurry?" she teased.
"Because I'd rather not waste a lot of time trying to lead you to where we're going when I could be spending that time making love with you," he chuckled.
Tabitha blushed. "Please tell me we're alone right now and no one heard that."
"Nah, don't worry," he mockingly soothed. "I think only a few dozen or so caught it."
Tabitha slapped him playfully, knowing he was only messing with her.
"Just keep the blindfold on and it will still be a surpri - hey, no peeking!" he laughed as he caught her lifting up the bottom of the fabric.
"I wasn't," she jokingly lied. He tickled her side and she squealed, nearly wriggling out of his arms. "Okay, okay! I'm sorry! I won't peek!"
"I'll tell you when you can look," he explained.
She nodded, listening to the sound of his feet on the gravel road and trying to figure out exactly where they were. "Now?"
"No," he laughed.
"...Now?"
"No..."
"What about now?"
"You've got to be the most impatient person I know," he teased.
"Hey! I can be patient! How long did I wait for you to propose?"
"Oh ha ha," he mocked. "Will you ever let me live that down?"
"Hmm, I'll think about it," she giggled, lacing her arms tighter around his neck to hold on. "So how long until we get to this big surprise."
"Not long at all. In fact, we're here right..." He set her down. "Now."
"Can I take the blindfold off?" she asked, questioning the air completely opposite of where Jim was standing.
Jim smiled, turned her the right direction, and untied the fabric of the blindfold. Tabitha's eyes adjusted to the light of the sunset, blinking rapidly before finally looking around her. They were just down the road from the Benbow. She turned and looked what was in front of her - a house. A small, brown, two-story house. The house that Silver and Abigail were supposedly moving into... After a moment, it all became clear and her jaw dropped.
Jim placed his hands on her shoulders from behind and kissed her cheek. "Happy anniversary, Tabitha."
"Th-The house?" Tabitha gasped.
"No, what's behind the house," he said sarcastically. "Of course the house!"
"But... This is Silver and Abigail's house... right?" she questioned.
Jim shook his head. "No. Sorry, we had to keep it a secret from you. Silver and Abigail are staying at the inn."
"So... this is... our house?" she asked in quiet awe.
"No." He waited until she turned to look at him in confusion before smiling and adding, "This is our home."
Tabitha broke out into a huge smile and threw her arms around his neck. "It's perfect."
"I'm glad you think so," he chuckled, returning her embrace.
"Now I feel awful," she blurted out. "Why on Montressor did you convince me not to get you anything when you went and got us a house?"
"Because of exactly that - I got us a house," he repeated. "It's a gift for both of us, just a surprise one for you. Besides, I didn't want anything anyway."
"But how much work did you put into this? They've been building this house for months now!"
"Silver helped me draw up the blueprints, I used the savings we had set aside for exactly this purpose to fund it. All I really did was present it to you," he shrugged.
Tabitha shook her head and smiled. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He leaned over and kissed her. "Now, do you want to check out the inside before you just start assuming it's perfect?"
"Yeah, let's go!"
Tabitha started to rush in, but Jim grabbed her wrist and held her back. "Nuh-uh. Not so fast."
"What? Why?"
Jim smirked, then swung her up into his arms bridal style.
"Wha - Why are you carrying me again?" she giggled as she wrapped her arms around her neck.
"It's tradition. I've got to carry you over the threshold," he explained as they started up the path towards their house.
"I thought that's what you were supposed to do right after you got married...?" she inquired.
"Well, usually it is," he said as he carried her up the 3 small steps to there covered patio. "But I didn't want to do it while we were still living at the Benbow. I wanted to wait until I could carry you into our own home."
"Oh, Jim," Tabitha smiled and kissed his cheek. "That's sweet."
He chuckled. "Okay. You ready?"
Jim looked into her eyes expectantly. Tabitha took a deep breath, smiled, then reached out and opened the door for them. Jim stepped purposefully into the room then put Tabitha down.
"Welcome home," he said quietly as he leaned down to kiss her. "Now come on, let's look around."
Jim grabbed her hand and together they made their way through the house, starting with the living room they were currently standing in. It was average size, a few pieces of furniture focused around a fireplace to their right, and to their left, a staircase. He pulled her up the stairs to show and led her first to the washroom, then the three bedrooms - all with only the basic furniture for now -
"How many bedrooms did you put into this place?" Tabitha laughed as they exited the third.
He smirked. "Well, we're going to need the space with all the kids we're going to have."
"And how many kids are we going to have?" she questioned amusedly.
"Hmm... six?" he asked for approval.
"Six?" she repeated incredulously before giggling. "I'd say a dozen, at least."
"Then we'd better get started," he said slyly, pulling her back down the stairs.
They laughed as he showed her the office/library just off of the living room, three walls covered floor to ceiling with bookshelves, one wall with a desk. Then the kitchen/dining room at the back of the house. The back wall was made up mostly of windows that opened on to the lot behind their house. Their was a back door leading outside, and a door on the wall to their left.
"I'm not sure we'll ever actually use the kitchen, seeing as you don't cook much, and if I'm going to cook, then we might as well just go over to the inn and eat there," he laughed. "But I still thought we needed one."
Tabitha turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "It's even better than I thought it would be. Thank you so much."
"Oh, don't thank me yet," he said slyly. "There's still one more room, and trust me, it's the best room of the house."
With that, he picked her up and carried her to a door at the back of the left wall of the kitchen.
"Why are you carrying me again?" she laughed.
He shrugged, but that playful smirk that she knew meant he was up to something was working its way across his lips. The door, that Tabitha had assumed was a closet or a pantry, actually lead to a very small entryway that in turn opened onto another, larger room.
"Welcome to our own, private bedroom," he introduced.
"Oh, Jim..." Tabitha said breathlessly.
To her right, there was a small vanity with a door next to it that opened into their washroom. On the wall to her left, a closet and a dresser. Next to the door they'd just entered from was a waist-high table that stretched half the length of the wall, currently bare, save for a couple of photos of her and Jim from when they were younger and one from their wedding day. What made it so beautiful though was what was straight in front of her. On either side of the large king size bed were two gigantic floor to ceiling windows, edged by billowing white curtains, that revealed the edge of the cliff behind their house and beyond that, the sky. She gasped at the sight of it in the twilight - purple, just beginning to sparkle with stars.
"This is beautiful..."
Jim smiled at how completely awestruck she looked until she glanced back up at him. "So why was it I couldn't walk in here on my own?"
He smirked. "Because I wanted to be able to do this."
He walked over to their bed and gently laid her down as he climbed in over her, kissing her as he lowered his body to hers.
Tabitha gasped. "Shouldn't we at least close the door?" she asked, anxiously glancing to their still open bedroom door. "What if someone comes by?"
"We're not at the Benbow anymore," Jim continued to kiss along her neck. "This is our house. Just ours. There's no one else here..."
"But what if Silver and Abigail... o-or your mom or somebody... wants to stop by and say... c-congratulations or something?" she panted.
Jim stopped and looked down at her, raising his eyebrows and grinning. "Tabitha, our parents know that we just got this house and that it's our anniversary. They're smart enough to figure out we need some privacy."
Tabitha flushed lightly. "Oh. Right..."
"Oh, wait! I forgot something," he remembered, rolling off her and heading back to the kitchen.
She sat up and looked around their bedroom. Their bedroom, in their house - No, in their home.
Home. Strangely enough, Tabitha found her chest shuddering at the word.
"Here," Jim began as he entered the room again, carrying two glasses and a bottle of champagne. "Almost forgot I had this."
Tabitha smiled and walked over to her husband. "You really went all out, didn't you?"
He laughed and shrugged as he poured the bubbly drink and passed a glass to her, clinking them together. "Oh, wait... What exactly are we toasting?"
She shrugged, looking away thoughtfully. Jim frowned, picking up on how Tabitha had suddenly lost that fun spark she'd had a few minutes ago.
His free hand reached out and gently stroked her cheek. "Tabitha?"
"Hmm?" she questioned, turning to look up at him.
"What is it?" he asked worriedly. "What's wrong?"
Tabitha shook her head. "Nothing. I was just thinking about how... this is the first real home I've had in a long time." Jim's brow furrowed as he gazed down at her, but she didn't meet his eyes; she kept staring off into the distance. "When my dad was still around, I had a house, but... you know how he was. I mean, I know now that he was just trying to keep me safe, b-but still. And then Silver treated me like family, but we never had a real place to live because we were always traveling. Then it was the academy, and the inn - which I guess was a place I had a home and family, but... this is different," she laughed breathily, looking up at him. "This is the... realest home I've ever had, a-and it... r-really means a lot..."
Jim took both their glasses and set them on the table. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him, resting his chin on top of her head. Her arms got curled up between them as she started to tear up. He swayed her slightly on the spot, rocking her back and forth in in a soothing motion.
"I-It really means a lot to me," she continued almost silently. "That y-you went through all the trouble to... not only get us a house, b-but surprise me, too..."
Jim tilted his head to look down at her, placing a finger on her chin and raising it. "Tabitha, you don't have to thank me," he smiled sincerely. "This has always be my dream - to get married, have a place of our own, raise a family together. It wasn't any trouble. And as far as surprising you..." He laughed. "I've done that every chance I got since the night I showed you the shooting stars on the Legacy and saw your face light up like that for the first time. I enjoy making you that happy." He took half a step closer, his face more serious now. "I love you, Tabitha."
She smiled, thankful that her tears were slowing instead of developing into sobs. "I love you, too, Jim."
He smiled and placed a kiss against her temple as he held her close to him once again. A moment later, she ever so slowly pulled back, smiling now, and reached for her glass. Jim did the same and they tilted them up in unison. As they started to lower them again, Tabitha's eyes fell on Jim's, and her breath suddenly caught within her lungs.
She'd never be able to figure out he could still send that electric shock of adrenaline through her veins with only a glance after four years, but it was still one of her favorite things about their relationship. His empty hand gently repositioned itself around her neck, tousling her hair slightly as he pulled himself closer to her. Her eyes closed, in expectation, or to savor the feeling, but all she got was the tingle of his breath against her lips and then the feeling of his hand moving, slipping away down her arm before lightly grasping her fingertips.
Her eyes opened just in time to see the slightest hint of a smile on his lips as he moved across the room and sat down on the mattress, pulling himself back until he was leaned against the headboard of their bed. He waited. Her chest heaving by now, she finished off her drink and set the empty glass down. She stepped out of her pants. His eyes skimmed over her, suddenly very thankful that she'd chosen to wear his shirt, as his sights followed from her shoulders, the neckline and the first two buttons opened, to the hem that fell halfway down her thigh, her long, smooth legs that led her to him now. She crossed the room and crawled over the sheets. He leaned up just enough to pull her over him, so that she was straddling his upper legs, before leaning back again.
Every move they made was careful, yet unplanned. It was slow, calm, intimate. No rush. Passionate, yes, but sensually, not sexually. It wasn't loud, energized, it was like a whispered confession - softer, but still with the same, thriving emotions. Every second held its own in the grand scheme of things. They had all the time life could offer, and they were taking advantage of it.
As he finished off the last of his champagne, Jim sat up so Tabitha could pull his shirt off, her palms sliding over his torso on their way back down. His hands skimmed up her back as he finally brought their lips together, gently, tenderly. His fingers worked their way through the buttons of her shirt until they were opened. She moved back, gently squeezing his shoulders as he fisted the fabric of the shirt at her shoulder, pulling it down until it fell around her hips. He followed the same path again, this time over bared skin, his fingertips caressing the sides of her back in time to hers doing the same along the muscles of his chest.
A moment later and his fingers moved down the middle of her lower back, over the spot he'd been just missing for what felt like hours. Now they reached it and Tabitha reflexively leaned forward. Jim's smile grew as she laid down against him, her muscles tensing slightly. His hand's encircled her waist and rolled her to his side. She kept one leg draped over his lower body as her hand ran down his arm, her movements a shade faster now than before. His tempo increased slightly as well, his hand gripping her hip just long enough for him to pull her closer before continuing down her thigh to her knee, then back.
Their bodies worked on their own, no movement premeditated. Tabitha's other hand moved back and forth, lightly outlining the muscles of his abdomen. Jim's other laced into her hair, then across her cheek as he placed their foreheads together.
They stopped in unison. Her eyes, hooded with desire, mirrored his as he looked at her eagerly. They were paused, reveling in a moment they wanted to last forever. Jim looked down at her, the room silent, save for the sound of their breathing and the white noise of anticipation. Neither one of them spoke, nor could they if they'd wanted to.
The desire finally mounted to its peak and neither of them could take it anymore. As Tabitha's hands gripped the hair at the back of his head, and Jim wrapped his arm around her and laid her to the bed, they kissed, and the sound of the long-forgotten champagne glass shattering to the floor was lost on them as they began to unravel the events of the rest of the night.
That ending bit was directly inspired by the music and video of 'Come a Little Closer' by Dierks Bentley. The music video is so passionate, and the song is just so sensual. I've become obsessed with it, and it was just too adorable not to write something to it. :D
Hmm... There's probably something I should be saying here... but I don't know what it is. :P
Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it!
-Emily
+Responses to Reviews+
MistressTaco: Yep, yep! Rylee's pregnant! I'm glad you enjoyed it. :)
23jk: Haha Yeah, there's a lot of cuteness! And there's even more in this chapter! Hope I didn't cuteness overload you! Thanks!
malisa: Yep, Rylee and Cason beat Jim and Tabitha to the chase. Eep! I know! Rylee's dad was pretty scary. *Le gasp!* Liking Cason MORE than Jim? Oh my goodness! Well, to be honest, they're both pretty darn adorable, so I can't blame you. :) Thanks!
anon: Thanks! I'm glad you liked it! Ooh, bachelor parties... That could be interesting... XD You know, that could be pretty funny. I may have to write a one-shot about that...
Blair Bear Tate Monster: Haha thank you! I'm glad you thought it balanced well. I try to do that, except occasionally with chapters like this one. :D Thank you for the birthday wishes! So far I am enjoying my stay in 'adult age'. Yeah, this whole I'm about to start college thing paired with the I have a romance thing is just... overwhelming, I guess. Haha. Thanks! I'm glad you liked it!
NeverTooLate03: LOL! Juno quotes FTW! I love that movie. :D Haha I'm glad you liked the pure amazingness of it. XD
Tsukasa-kun: Haha Thanks! Yeah, I'm sure Cason wasn't having the easiest time being fearless in front of someone like that!
SweetAngel183: Thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it. I did try to sweeten up Cason's personality for this chapter because, even though he can be kind of rough, he actually is really sweet, especially to Rylee. :)
ADangerousPastime: Haha "It's so fluffy I'm gonna die!" That's what your comment made me think of. :D Wow, rivaling Jim and Tabitha! That is something. You weren't the only person who said something like that. I'd originally planned to post a Landon/Isabelle chapter instead of this one, but this one just... showed up. XD So I think it'll be the next one. Wow, thank you so much! I'm glad you like it, and I'm so glad I keep everyone in character! That can be HARD sometimes!
Horseygirl 96: I'm glad you liked it! I'm not sure about the wedding. I'll add it to my list of ideas and see if I get struck with some inspiration! :) Thank you!
xMissImaginationx/S.A.M. Fonceca: Yep, Rylee's pregnant, and Cason (surprisingly) earned her dad's approval and didn't die! I think I may add something somewhere along the line of people's reactions to her pregnancy. Thank you!
Kristy: Haha Yep, Rylee and Cason beat Jim and Tabitha! Surprising, huh? Yes, Cason can come across as kind of gruff, but he's really just a big teddy bear. :D Thank you!