You guys, I am so sorry about the wait. Things have crazy busy here. As I'm pretty sure I've mentioned before, I just graduated, which means I'm headed to college next year, which means I have a LOT to get ready. Not to mention, I had a lot of trouble writing this chapter just because I had to revert back to younger Jim & Tabitha, so I kept having to remind myself that they weren't married and they were still new at this relationship stuff and all that jazz.
I can't tell you guys how awesome it is to see how popular my stories have become. I cannot explain the satisfaction in seeing new reviews or getting new readers. It's amazing, and I can't thank you guys enough. :D
Oh, and several people pointed this out/asked this: Yes, the last chapter was loosely based on the song 'Love Story' by Taylor Swift, which is loosely based on Romeo and Juliet.
Okay, anyway, Blair Bear Tate Monster (Who, by the way, has written an AMAZING Treasure Planet fanfiction called 'Lost Treasure'. It's adorably fluffy, but still has plenty of conflict and action. I highly recommend it.) wanted to see first dates for all the characters, and anon requested seeing a dance or a date.
So, here you have it, Jim and Tabitha's first date. Unless you count that night on the Legacy where he showed her the stars a date... but this is the first real date, since they got back from their voyage.
Enjoy!
"Tabitha. Hey, wake up."
Tabitha groaned and rolled over, pulling the blanket over her head. Jim rolled his eyes, grabbed the edge of the blankets, and yanked them off the bed. Tabitha whimpered and instinctively curled up in a ball.
"Jim..." she complained, rolling over and reaching for the blanket.
"Nuh-uh." He jerked them out of her reach. "We let you sleep until almost lunch time."
She sat up and rubbed her bare arms. "But I'm cold..."
Jim softened and wrapped the blankets back around her shoulders. She sighed, pulling them around her tightly, and started to lay back down.
"Oh, no you don't - " He grabbed her hand and pulled her back up. "You have to get up."
"But why?" she complained.
"Because," he chuckled as he continued pulling on her.
Tabitha relented and got out of bed. "That's a horrible reason."
"Trust me," Jim chuckled. "You'll like it."
"Like what?"
"Just get dressed and come dowstairs."
Tabitha eyed him skeptically, but Jim's confidence didn't waver. "Fine." He smiled and started to leave, but she stopped him again. "But what's going on?"
Jim stopped halfway out the door and looked back at her. He looked back at the hall hesitantly, then walked back over to her and brushed her disheveled hair away from her face. He smiled and pulled the back of her head forward to him. Their lips locked in a gentle kiss, one that lasted only a few seconds, but left Tabitha's head reeling when Jim slowly pulled away from her.
Jim grinned. "Get dressed and come downstairs," he repeated.
Tabitha nodded as Jim left the room. As she started to get dressed, her mind wandered to what Jim was up to. He was acting very... affectionate this morning. What on Montressor was he planning that she would allegedly like?
Meanwhile, Jim had changed into some of the new, nicer clothes they'd bought since he returned from the Treasure Planet voyage. They were the same style as his old ones, but more fitted. The black pants weren't being held on solely by a belt, and while the forest green shirt was still loose, the sleeves were the right length and it was better suited for his body. He'd been a little unsure of the new style at first, but he'd learned they weren't so bad... and it helped that Tabitha had complimented him on how 'dashing' he'd looked the first day he wore them.
"So does she have any idea?" Mrs. Hawkins asked as Jim entered the kitchen.
"Doesn't look like it," Jim smiled.
"I still don't understand why she hasn't even mentioned it yet," Dr. Doppler said from his spot at the dining room table.
"I don't know, could be a lot of things," he shrugged. "We'll find out tonight."
"Everything's all set, Jimmy!" B.E.N. cheered as he walked in through the kitchen door.
"Good. Thanks, B.E.N." Morph flitted over to Jim and chirped confusedly. "Oh, no. You'll find out tonight, too."
The blob turned into a question mark.
"Because you might tell Tabitha," he chuckled.
"Tell Tabitha what?"
Everyone in the kitchen turned to see Tabitha standing in the door. Morph flitted over to her, complaining in his squeaky voice as he pointed at Jim.
"What did he do?" she asked, feigning offense.
"I won't tell him a secret," Jim answered.
"What secret?"
Morph transformed into a miniature of Jim and mocked, "You'll find out tonight!"
Tabitha cast Jim a confused look, but he just shrugged. "Come on, let's go."
"Go?" Tabitha repeated hesitantly. "Go where?"
"I'm taking you out," he answered as he shrugged on his jacket.
"Out... side?" she questioned.
Jim laughed. "No. Out. You know, on a date."
Tabitha blinked. "A date?"
Jim looked a bit shocked, as if maybe he'd done something wrong. "Well, I mean... yeah. I-I thought..." He scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I thought you might like it."
"I-I would. I'd love to," she smiled. "But we've never been on one before. Why...?"
"Because you're my girlfriend."
Tabitha's heart fluttered a bit at hearing him refer to her as his girlfriend and she smiled.
"Do I need anymore reason than that?" he smiled.
"No," she laughed. "Okay. Oh... Is what I'm wearing okay? I didn't really plan - "
"It's great. You look beautiful," Jim interrupted, sounding wholly sincere and slightly awed.
In fact, Jim had already noticed how beautiful she looked. Tabitha had also gotten some new clothes - much to her protesting and insisting that it was too much, and she couldn't accept them. Today she was clad in the same sort of fitted pants she always wore. They were dark brown and paired nicely with the medium blue long sleeve shirt she was wearing. That's what had made him notice - while generally her shirts were loose, this one was fitted and had a slight v-neck to it. She'd also left her hair down. It was something he rarely saw, and it was beautiful. Her golden brown hair was longer now and came a few inches past her shoulders in gentle waves, all of her curves were shown off in in a tasteful way, and Jim was pretty sure she'd never looked so pretty.
Tabitha blushed, lowering her face as she walked over to him and pulled on her coat.
"Jim, get back here before dinner. It's supposed to snow this evening, and I don't want you lost in a blizzard," Mrs. Hawkins ordered.
"I know, mom. I'll be back," he sighed in exasperation.
"Do you have everything you'll need?" Dr. Doppler questioned.
"Uh... " Jim looked around for a second before he caught Tabitha's eye. He smiled and laced his fingers through her. "Yeah. I have everything I need."
Tabitha blushed ever darker, but Jim hardly had the chance to see before his mother wrapped him in a big hug. He returned it and quickly let go... then awkwardly embraced her again when she didn't let go. "Uh, mom? I'm not going on another trip. It's just a date."
"It's your first date, Jim!" she exclaimed. "Oh, you grew up so fast."
Tabitha covered her mouth to hide a small laugh. Jim sent a sideways glare her way, trying to hold back a smile.
"Sarah," Dr. Doppler began, walking over and gently prying the mother off her son. "He'll be fine. Let them go out and have fun."
"Not too much fun," she said warningly.
Tabitha giggled when she noticed Jim was starting to blush at the attention. "We'll be fine, Mrs. Hawkins."
The teens finally managed to get away and out into the chilly November air of Montressor.
"Sorry about that," Jim laughed uncomfortably. "I didn't expect her to get so... motherly."
Tabitha laughed. "It's okay. So... where are we going?"
He smirked mischievously. "It's a surprise."
She rolled her eyes. "Why can't you just tell me?"
"You'll find out soon. Right now, I have another surprise." He smiled and lead her over to the side of Dr. Dopplers house. "Ta-da!"
Tabitha's jaw dropped. "Where did you get that?"
Jim shrugged as he walked over to the solar surfer that was propped against the wall. "I'm just borrowing it for the day. The guy who owns the solar surfer shop calls me a best customer." He laughed as he lay the vehicle down and inspected it. "Not surprising. I spent all my money in that store. Alright - " He held out his hand. "Come on."
"You want me to get on that?" Tabitha questioned warily.
"Well, yeah," he held out his hand. "Come on, it's easy. All you'll have to do is hold on."
Tabitha glanced from her boyfriend, to the board, then back before taking his hand and stepping aborad. Jim stepped on behind her, only now realizing how close they'd have to be to each other for this to work.
"Uh..." he began, trying to shake away any thoughts on how she was pressed against him before Tabitha noticed him blushing. "Okay, look, all you have to do is hold onto this bar and keep your feet planted on the board."
"Th-that's it?" she asked quietly, unsure if her stammer was caused by the fact that Jim was so close or that she was absolutely terrified of riding this thing.
"Yeah, I'll steer it." Jim kept his foot on the break and turned it on. Tabitha gasped and jerked backwards a bit when the board began to hover.
"Whoa!" he said as her sudden movement against him caught him by surprise. "You okay?"
She gulped. "Y-Yeah. I'm fine. I-It just startled me."
Tabitha took a deep breath - she could do this. She'd gotten over her fear of heights... but that had been in a longboat, where she was sitting and able to cling tightly to Jim. But, no, she was sure that Jim wouldn't take her on anything dangerous. She'd be fine.
But as soon as Jim let off the break a bit and it started to go, she realized she would not be fine. They'd only gotten about 5 feet off the ground and about 10 feet away from their starting point when she suddenly grabbed Jim's wrist, squeezing onto it tightly.
"Whoa, Tabitha, wha - " Jim stammered as he tried to keep the board in control. He caught a glimpse of her face only to see her eyes scrunched closed. "What's wrong?" No answer. "What is it?"
When there was still no answer, Jim lowered the surfer as quickly as he could and cut the power. As he stepped off, Tabitha stumbled backwards into his arms, heaving in a deep breath of air.
"Are you okay?" he questioned worriedly, making sure she could stand on her own.
Tabitha still couldn't talk, but she managed to nod, still taking sharp breaths.
"I-I'm sorry," the stuttered in unison. They looked at each other confusedly. "Why are you apologizing?"
Jim chuckled. "You go first."
"I-I'm sorry," Tabitha apologized, her voice trembling almost as much as the rest of her body. "I'm s-still kind of af-fraid of heights."
Jim gaped at her in apologetic shock. "I'm sorry! I-I thought that after that day in the longboat - "
"Yeah, i-it's okay. Y-You didn't do a-anything wrong. I am over them m-mostly, but," she gulped. "N-Not enough to try solar surfing y-yet."
He pulled her into his arms, trying to calm her shaking. "I'm so sorry. I never would have tried that if I'd known."
"I know you wouldn't have," she smiled as she wrapped her arms around Jim's torso. "I'm sorry I freaked out like that. I-I really do want to try it, but... I'm not quite ready. Sorry."
"Don't apologize. It's no big deal," he smiled.
"I promise I'll ride it someday," she insisted. "If... i-if I still haven't ridden it by the time you graduate from the academy, I'll ride it then."
"Whoa, whoa, wait - " Jim stopped her. "By the time I graduate? What about you?"
"I'm not sure I'll get in. I mean, you're the one who saved us from the exploding planet," she laughed.
"Yeah, and you're the one who doctored up our captain and helped come up with the idea of how to save us from the exploding planet," he assured her.
"But Captain Amelia only wrote your recommendation," she insisted.
"Because you're amazing enough to get in without one."
Tabitha rolled her eyes. "Fine. If I still haven't ridden it by the time we graduate from the academy, then I'll ride it."
"I'll hold you to it," he laughed.
Tabitha smiled. "So how are we going to get to town now?"
"We aren't going to town."
Tabitha hardly had time to look confused before Jim was walking away from her, down Dr. Doppler's cobblestone drive. "Well then where are we going?"
"I told you. It's a surprise," he smiled.
"And we're walking?" she asked as she jogged to catch up to him.
"Yep." Jim grinned at her. "Don't worry. You're going to like it."
She arched an eyebrow at him. "How do you know?"
He smirked, but didn't answer.
They conversed and laughed as they continued their walk, heading in the opposite direction of town, over rocky terrain, down the sloped walkway of a small cliff. Jim kept glancing over at Tabitha out of the corner of his eye, trying to decipher what she was thinking about all of this. After a few minutes of silent debating, he started to reach out for her, but stopped. He couldn't help it - he wasn't used to it yet. He wasn't used to any of it yet - the holding hands, the kissing... It helped that Tabitha was as new to this as he was, and he knew he was probably over-thinking it all, but he couldn't help second guessing himself every time he made a move.
Tabitha caught Jim off guard when she giggled. "What?" She shook her head, refusing to tell him and he laughed. "No, what is it?"
"You're blushing," she teased.
At the mention of it, he felt his face flush darker. "I-I... It's... from the cold."
"Oh, that's too bad," she said in mock disappointment. "Because I thought it was pretty cute."
"You did?"
"Well, until I found it was just from the cold..." she smirked.
Jim laughed and shook his head. He reached out and determinedly wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling him to her, and Tabitha suddenly felt her face warm.
"Now who's blushing?" he teased.
Tabitha shoved him playfully as they laughed.
"Okay, stop!" Jim demanded, stepping in front of her.
"What? Why?" she blinked in surprise.
"Because this is the part where I surprise you," he chuckled. "Close your eyes."
Tabitha started to object, but instead sighed and closed her eyes. Jim gently grabbed her hands and lead her down the last few feet of the journey.
"Okay. Open them."
She did and couldn't help but gasp. They were standing on the edge of a lake, the top of it glassy with a small frozen layer of ice. Even though it was cloudy out, it seemed to sparkle. Looking around, she quickly spotted the blanket that had been laid out at the very edge of it. Beside that was a picnic basket and a stack of a few more blankets. After gaping at the scene around her for a moment, she turned back to Jim, who was standing a few feet behind her, looking a bit anxious.
"Jim..." she said breathlessly. "You did this?"
"Uh, technically, B.E.N. did, but it was my idea, yeah," he laughed as he nervously rubbed the back of his neck. "I-I thought it'd be nice to do something special since, you know, it's your - er, our - first date..."
"I love it," she smiled brightly.
"Good," Jim sighed as he walked over to her. "I really wasn't sure - "
Tabitha stopped him with a quick kiss. "You over-think things."
Jim chuckled quietly as she pulled him over to the blanket.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors!"
Tabitha and Jim sat facing each other, huddled under a blanket they were sharing. With lunch done, and a few hours before they had to be back at the house, Jim and Tabitha had resorted to playing rock, paper, scissors, with the loser having to reveal a fact or a secret about themselves that the other person didn't know.
Tabitha held out her flat and Jim held out a fist.
"I win again!" she laughed.
Tabitha had been winning nearly every round since the game started. While Jim had only won enough times to find out a couple of small details about Tabitha, she now knew pretty much everything about Jim.
"You're cheating," Jim jokingly accused. "And I can't think of anything else to tell."
"You're just saying that!"
"No, I really can't!" he laughed. "I've told you all my secrets. You know everything about me."
Tabitha rolled her eyes. They each thought for a second, then she bit her lip nervously. "Could I... ask you something instead?"
"Uh... sure."
"What would you do if you... saw your father again?" she asked quietly. Jim blanched, turning away from her. "I-I've just always wondered how you would react, what you would say... I-I'm sorry if that was out of line. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."
"No. It's fine. It's a good question, actually." He sighed and brushed his bangs back. "I've wondered that a lot, too. You know, part of me thinks I would shout at him, tell him how much I hate him for leaving me and my mom, but... part of me thinks I might just want to hug him, because, you know, he's still my dad, and I-I'd probably just be relieved that he was alive... Then again I might end up crying," he laughed awkwardly. "I guess it would depend on... how it happened. If I just ran into him somewhere, or if he came back... and how he reacted to me. I don't know. I..." He took a deep breath. "I really hope it never comes up. I know that sounds awful - I mean, he's my father. I should want to see him again, but I just... I just think it's one of those things that's better left unknown. This way, I can imagine that he feels guilty for leaving, or that he's not even alive anymore. Maybe something happened to him..."
There was short pause where Tabitha watched his every move, then Jim shook his head to clear the thoughts. "I'd rather not see him again... I think it's better that way."
It was only when Tabitha reached out and stilled his hand that he realized he'd been rubbing it incessantly against his pants. He looked up at her anxiously and she smiled in a reassuring way. He chuckled and squeezed her hand tightly.
"Okay, this time, I'm going to beat you," he laughed, lightening the mood once again.
"Oh, we'll see, Hawkins," she giggled.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors!" they said in unison. Tabitha held out two fingers while Jim made a fist once again.
"Told you so," he smirked.
She rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine." She paused to think it over, then took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Will you promise not to get mad?"
Jim's brow furrowed. "Yeah, sure."
"Really?" she blinked her eyes back open, searching for sincere verification. He eyed her as if to tell her to get it over with and she sighed. "Well, today... is my birthday."
His jaw dropped. "What?"
"Wait, please don't get mad or upset or anything! I-I'll explain why I didn't tell you." Tabitha sighed and began twisting her hair around her finger. "There's two reasons, really. Th-The first is... well, it's... i-it's my first birthday without Silver since I met him," she said sadly. "It's... kind of hard."
Jim's shock was replaced with sympathy. He watched her twist a piece of hair back and forth around her finger, then smiled sadly.
"Hey," Jim began as he repositioned himself next to her. "I don't know where Silver is, but I'm sure he's thinking about you and how it's your birthday."
Tabitha bit her lip. "You're only saying that."
"No, I'm not!" he laughed, nudging her playfully. "What else would he be thinking about?"
"Hmm, I don't know. Maybe trying to hide from the authorities so he doesn't get arrested?" she suggested sarcastically.
Jim chuckled. "Well, yeah, I'm sure he's thinking about that too, but you know you're like a daughter to him. He's thinking about how it's your 16th birthday and how upset he is that he had to miss it."
She tilted her head onto his shoulder. "Thank you."
Jim looked down at her and couldn't help grinning at how close she was - she wanted to be that close to him - as he wrapped his arm around her waist "What was the second reason?"
"Oh..." She took another deep breath. "I-I didn't want to tell you because I knew that you and your mom and Dr. Doppler would want to do something for me, a-and I just can't accept anything else from you guys. You've all done so much for me as it is. I didn't feel right getting birthday presents from you as well."
"Tabitha, that's crazy. It's your birthday," he tried to reason. "It only comes once a year."
"I know..."
Jim sighed. "You know, I would have gotten you something."
"Which is exactly why I didn't tell you. Jim - " His hand lingered on her waist as she turned to look up at him. "You don't need to get me anything. You... You've given me more than I could ever repay already. You saved my life, offered me a place to live... gave me my first kiss," she laughed awkwardly and he smirked. "Besides, this date was a wonderful birthday present. Really. I couldn't have asked for anything better."
Jim gazed deeply into her eyes. "Come here."
She blinked as he laid down, pulling gently on her hand to follow. She smiled shyly and followed, keeping the blanket wrapped around her back as she lay her head on his shoulder. Jim raised the arm that was not wrapped around Tabitha into a fist, signaling that he wanted to continue their game. Tabitha laughed and did the same. They shook it three times, then Tabitha made a fist while Jim laid his hand flat.
"I win again," he smirked.
"Ugh, fine," she mock groaned. "You have to let me explain this one too..."
"What is it this time?" he feigned annoyance.
"Well, honestly... I really don't like cold weather," she admitted.
"Oh." He rubbed the back of his neck disappointedly. "So... this date probably isn't much fun for you, huh?"
"Oh, no, it is! That's what I was going to explain. I really am having a good time. Plus, we've got blankets and jackets and... you're holding me really close right now," she smirked and he flushed a little. "So I'm really not cold at all. It's just Lacuna - where I grew up - was really hot. Really hot," she laughed. "I guess I'm not really used to it yet."
"Well, if you're going to stay here, you'd better get used to it. Montressor has three seasons: cold, rainy, and the combination of both, known as snow," he laughed.
"If?"
Jim started. "What?"
"If?" she repeated quietly. "You said if I'm going to stay here."
"Uh...yeah?" he answered unsurely, pulling away a little so he could look down at her. "Aren't you going to leave?"
Sadness slowly crept into all her features. "No, I wasn't planning on it. I-I didn't know that's what was expected of me..."
"So what were you planning to do?"
"I thought I'd just... stay here, with... you."
Jim blinked and she flushed and quickly turned her eyes to the lock of hair she was fiddling with. "You really want to stay here with me?"
Tabitha looked up to see Jim grinning broadly at her. "Well... yeah. I don't have anywhere else to go, and I... I thought you wanted me to stay..."
"Yeah, I do!" he smiled, reaching out to grab her hand again. "But I thought you wouldn't be staying that long. I thought you'd... move on or whatever."
She smiled again, pressing herself against him as she buried her face against his leather jacket for warmth and breathing in the heavy, masculine scent that accompanied it. "I don't think so. Not right now, at least."
Even though she was no longer looking at him, Jim continued to stare down at his girlfriend. Girlfriend. Even the word brought a smile to his face, and thinking that his girlfriend was Tabitha turned that smile into an all out grin.
"So you're really going to stay here?"
"If that's okay..."
"It's better than okay!" Jim laughed. "I-I'm really glad you are. I thought that... I don't know. I guess I assumed that this was temporary, and you wouldn't stick around. You'd go back to your old life, before you met me, and this would end." He hesitated only a second before shifting out from underneath her and rolling onto his side so they were facing each other. "I'm really glad you don't want to go and you want to stay here with me because, well... I'd been trying to think of a way to ask you to stay, but I didn't know how. I didn't want to, you know, freak you out or something, since we still haven't known each other that long, but..." He took a deep breath. "I-I didn't want you to leave. I still don't want you to leave... ever."
Tabitha blinked in a mixture of flattery and shock.
Jim gulped. "I-I'm sorry. That sounded weird. I only meant that... I don't want you leaving anytime soon. You know, if things change and we... well, if you want to go, th-then you should, but if things stay the way they are - well actually, things would probably progress. Not that they have to! I-I'm not expecting anything, but... th-that's how relationships work. Er, generally at least."
Tabitha smiled. "Jim, what are you talking about?"
He could feel his face warm up even in the cold. He sighed and rolled onto his back once again. "I don't know. I just... I really care about you and I hope that nothing comes between us because, I..." He looked back to her, smiling nervously. "I really can't see myself with anyone else... now that I've met you."
Tabitha knew she must have been bright pink by this point, but she smiled still. That smile quickly fell again though as she took a deep breath and sat up. "Jim, I... what you said, about going back to my life before you..."
"What about it?" Jim questioned, surveying her anxiously.
She sighed and kept her gaze focused on his chest. "I... I don't have a life to go back to. I mean, when I was a kid, I took care of my dad, but he's dead, and th-then I was with Silver, but..." She gulped. "H-He's gone, too. Right now... you're all I've got," she said quietly as she looked back up to his face. Jim's eyes widened, but she continued before he could speak. "You a-and your mom and Delbert... Y-You're the closest thing I've got to family. That's why I was so worried when you said 'if'. I-I don't have anywhere else to go. Well, I... I guess I could do what I did last time, when I was ten, a-and go find another job as a cabin girl or something, but... I-I'd much rather just stay here with you. I-I've done that too many times now - lost someone and then had to start over. I just can't do it anymore! I mean, n-now that you're in my life... I really don't want you to leave it."
Jim slowly pushed himself up, keeping his eyes locked on Tabitha's. When she couldn't decipher what his reaction was going to be, she started to turn away, but Jim stopped her by placing his hand on hers. Tabitha looked back up. She still couldn't figure out what he was thinking, but before she had too much time to focus on it, Jim leaned forward and softly pressed his lips against hers in a kiss so delicate she would have hardly felt it if it weren't for the fact that it had jumpstarted her heart.
Jim pulled back only a few small centimeters and they both kept their eyes closed while they spoke.
"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered.
"Then neither am I," she quietly answered back.
There lips met again, more passionate this time. Jim was still working on the mechanics of exactly how he was supposed to do this - how he was supposed to respond, where his hand was supposed to be - but this time, he didn't think about it. He tossed all the analyzing out and focused on how soft her lips were, how smooth her skin felt when he ran his hand across her cheek, how... happy it made him feel. He couldn't think of a better word for it. It was relaxing, and yet thrilling - a taste of some exciting feeling he'd only ever come close when he rode his solar surfer at daring high speeds. But even that emotion couldn't hold a candle to what Tabitha could make him feel.
Jim tasted like purps - he always did, and Tabitha always noticed. There was something about it, mixed with the scent of his aftershave, combined with the feeling of his hand gently sliding up and down her leg that scent Tabitha's mind into a frantic daze, as if every piece of it was trying really hard to focus on not focusing. It was like feeling everything and nothing all at once. She didn't know how it was possible, but she didn't care. She loved it, just like she loved everything else about Jim. The way he could stir up such unfamiliar and yet welcome emotions in her was just the tip of the iceberg.
Eventually, Tabitha realized her face was getting colder at about the same time Jim noticed his hair was starting to feel wet. They pulled back and tilted their heads up to the sky.
"When did it start snowing?" Jim laughed.
"I'm not sure," Tabitha laughed breathlessly. "How long have we been kissing?"
Jim focused his gaze back on her and smirked. "Not long enough."
It took ages to make it back to the doctor's house, and even longer to make it down the slick cobblestone path that lead up to his house. Tabitha was the first to fall when her feet touched the wet stones, but as soon as Jim started laughing, he fell too. Laughing and sliding and falling down every few feet, they made their way back to the house. By the time they got back to the house, they were soaked, freezing, and sure that they would have bruises when they woke up in the morning.
"Well," Jim laughed. "That was fun."
Tabitha giggled as they made their way indoors. As soon as she stepped into the house, Morph zoomed over to her.
"CAKE!" he squealed, transforming into the image of a white cake with candles on top.
"Cake?" Tabitha repeated as she removed her coat.
Morph zipped off to the kitchen. Tabitha cast a confused glance to Jim, but he shrugged as if he had no idea what was going on. Hesitantly, she followed the shapeshifter to the kitchen. As she she stepped inside, what she saw made her gasp.
There was a large cake, with 'Happy Birthday Tabitha!' spelled out in purple icing, several presents of various sizes stacked next to it, and when she turned around, the smiling faces of Mrs. Hawkins, Dr. Doppler, and Captain Amelia.
"Happy Birthday!" they congratulated in unison.
"What... I-I..." she stammered in shock. "How... H-How did you know?"
"How do you think?" Mrs. Hawkins smiled, focusing her gaze on something behind Tabitha.
Tabitha turned around and saw Jim standing in the doorway, hands in pockets, observing her reaction. "Happy birthday," he smiled.
"But... you... You said you didn't know!"
"Of course I knew," he laughed. "It's your birthday. What kind of boyfriend do you think I am?"
Tabitha suddenly rushed forward and threw her arms around him. Jim stumbled back a bit, then returned the embrace.
"The best kind," she whispered to his ear.
After everyone had their fill of cake, and after a good twenty minutes of arguing that she couldn't possibly accept anything else from them and trying to explain why that's why she hadn't told them about her birthday in the first place, Tabitha was forced into opening her presents. Finally, she gave in and just decided to be happy about them. B.E.N. & Morph agreed to do her chores for a week, though Tabitha wasn't so sure it would be a good idea to take them up on this offer. Mrs. Hawkins surprised her with a new coat. It was one Tabitha had seen the day they'd gone shopping for new clothes, but had been too hesitant to ask for because of the price. Dr. Doppler gift was an assortment of books. There were a couple related to the medical field, but most of them were strictly pleasure reads. Captain Amelia's present was the news that she had put in a recommendation at the academy for Tabitha as well. Now, she and Jim both had an outstanding chance of getting in. As stunned as she was with everything she had already received, she was even more so by what happened next.
"There's one more."
Jim's hands suddenly moved in front of her as he wrapped a necklace around her neck. He fastened it as she pulled her hair out of the way. She gasped when she looked down at it. It was two small stars, interlocked with one another, both composed of amethyst gemstones. She delicately ran her fingers over it, admiring the gift.
"I-I wasn't sure if you'd like jewelry," he struggled as he began to rub the back of his neck. "But I've never shopped for a girl before, a-and I couldn't really think of much else. Then I saw that, and it reminded me of you a-and the night I showed you the shooting stars and... I-I just thought you might like it."
Tabitha stared at it in awe for a moment, then turned to Jim. He was warily observing her reaction, but blinked when she smiled at him. "Jim, it's beautiful. I absolutely love it."
Jim blushed as she leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Don't mention it."
"You guys," Tabitha began, touched by all their generosity. "This was wonderful. Thank you all so much. I-I really can't tell you how much this all means to me."
"You're welcome, Tabitha," Dr. Doppler answered.
"Though I do believe it's Jim who deserves most of the credit," Amelia added. "I simply showed up."
"That's true," Mrs. Hawkins agreed. "Jim was the one who found out from Morph when you're birthday was and asked me to use purple icing for the writing on your cake, since it's your favorite color. He also was the one who suggested buying that coat for you, after he saw you admiring it."
"Oh, yes, he helped me pick out a gift for you as well," Dr. Doppler explained. "Jim recalled you telling him that you loved to read as a child and suggested books would be a good choice."
"Mr. Hawkins was also the one who suggested I wait to surprise you with the news of your recommendation until tonight," Amelia spoke up.
"Not to mention he came up with the idea of surprising you and kept you out of the house long enough for us to prepare everything," Mrs. Hawkins said.
"Yeah, and he told me where to set up the picnic that you guys went on," B.E.N. said. "You know, he really did a wonderful job picking out the location. That lake looked so beautiful, and I'm sure... "
The rest of the robot's explanation was lost on Tabitha. She was now staring at Jim, completely awestruck. Jim gulped. He could feel her gaze on him, but was blushing too hard to bring himself to face her.
"Y-You guys, stop," he requested, completely embarrassed by all the flattery. "Come on, it wasn't that big of a deal."
"Are you kidding me?" Tabitha whispered in shock. "It is a big deal. It's a really big deal. Jim, I..."
She stopped, unable to finish her sentence.
"Kids," Mrs. Hawkins, who had picked up on the tangible emotional atmosphere between the two. "Why don't you go ahead and go to bed? We'll do the cleaning."
"Okay," Tabitha said quietly. "Thank you... again."
The adults all smiled as she and Jim left the kitchen. No sooner had they stepped out into the den then Jim began to ramble.
"Tabitha, I-I really didn't do that much. I mean, I guess I helped them pick out stuff, but I... I couldn't have done it without them. It wasn't like I did all the work or whatever. So, um, you know, don't think that... well, I-I don't know what you might think, but - "
As soon as they reached the top of the stairs, Tabitha threw herself against Jim, into the second gracious embrace of the night.
"Thank you," she sobbed against his shoulder.
"Your - Wait, are you crying?"
Tabitha pulled back and nodded. "That's why I had to stop talking down there. But Jim, this is a really big deal. I-I can't tell you how wonderful this all is. No one, not even Silver, has done something this special for me."
"Well, I just knew that it was going to be your first birthday without him, and I just wanted it to... You know, still be good, even though he couldn't be here for it," Jim explained.
Tabitha stared at him for a moment, absolutely stunned by his thoughtfulness. "Thank you. Thank you so much..."
Jim held her tightly as she continued to cry against him. "You... You are crying because you're happy, aren't you?"
She let out a small choked laugh. "Of course, I'm happier than I've ever been in my entire life. Jim, I... " She shook her head, unable to say what she wanted to. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Jim grinned, and for the second time that night, he didn't think. He simply reached out and pulled her closer. "Right back at you."
Alone, in the center of the hallway, framed by the window with snow drifting past, Tabitha got the best gift she could think of when Jim's lips tenderly met her own.
I got the rock-paper-scissors idea from the movie 'Ever After'. Chapter title is a line from Blink 182's 'First Date'.
So there you have it: Jim and Tabitha's first date.
NEWS: Okay, I've seen this idea done a couple of times before, but most recently I got it from Blair Bear Tate Monster. I've decided to hold a sort of interview thing with the characters, and YOU get to ask the questions. That's right - any character, any question, any time during the story. No rules, no limitations, no subjects off limits. Check out her story called 'Interviews' if you want to see kind of how this is going to work, and post your questions in the comments and/or send me a message! This will probably be the next chapter, but I'm not entirely sure. I may just answer one or 2 at the beginning of each chapter. We'll see.
Thank you so much everyone! I hope you liked this chapter!
-Emily
+Responses to Reviews+
NeverTooLate03: I'm really glad you liked it! I agree, it's got enough plot to be a story or a movie of its own.
anon: Thank you so much for pointing that out! I went back and fixed it. I'm glad you liked it! :D
ADangerousPastime: Haha I'm sure we're about even in the loving each others work department! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
23jk: Thank you very much!
Tsukasu-kun: Thank you! Don't worry, Landon and Isabelle will be very happy together.
Mistress Taco: Thank you!
MidDusk: Hey, a new reviewer! I think... if you've reviewed before, I'm sorry. Anyway, there they were! Back to Jim and Tabitha! Thank you for your review!
Horsygirl 96: Thank you! I am probably about half-way done with your chapter. I'm trying to figure out exactly how I want to do it all... But it is being worked on! I have not forgotten and it will be posted soon.
S.A.M. Fonceca: Thank you very much! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :D
Blair Bear Tate Monster: Aw, thank you so much! I'm glad you liked it! Yeah, when I first started writing, I wasn't planning on basing it somewhat off of 'Love Story', but then it just kind of happened, so yeah, the garden bit was an idea from that song. Glad you liked it! I'm sorry, but fanfiction wouldn't let me put the periods in your screen name. Every time I did, it deleted it. I guess it didn't believe it was a word. Also, if you want me to write the first dates of any of the other characters, let me know, but since I did the whole Landon/Isabelle chapter and Rylee/Cason had their thing, I wasn't sure, and I was kind of lacking inspiration. Anyway, just let me know in a review or a message if you do!
