Two Sides of the Same Coin
Chapter 1 –Something Left Behind
Israeli Coast
Lara's boots skidded to a halt as she reached the cliff's edge. Terry stopped next to her.
The pair stood at the edge looking down at their only escape. They were almost 50 meters from the blue crashing waves of the Mediterranean Sea.
"OK… You go first," Lara exclaimed.
"Oh, no Croft, I think you can go ahead and do the honors!"
Gunshots fired past Terry's shoulders. He swiftly stepped aside.
"It's always a fun time with you, Croft," he said sarcastically.
"You wanted to tag along," Lara said smugly.
"I'll show you tagging along," Terry shot back. With one quick stride he wrapped his arms around Lara's waist then jumped pulling her with him.
Like synchronized divers the pair free fell then dove perfectly into the ocean entering with barely a splash.
Lara swam up to the surface and looked up. Their pursuers were not going to follow them.
She laughed triumphantly then turned to her company.
Terry was smiling at her.
"I'm going to think twice the next time you ask me out," Terry said.
"Next time?" she said with a mischievous smile. Terry pulled her close causing her chestnut hair to tumble around her face.
"You know you can't get enough of me, Croft" Terry responded. She placed her arms around his shoulders studying the shadow of his strong jaw line then looking into his steel-colored eyes.
"Well, Terry, you have proven that you can at least keep up with me." His boyish smiled widened.
"You mean you've proven that you can keep up with me! These past three months of guns firing at us every second, escaping on motorbikes as the walls collapse, even balancing on a rope over a pit of spikes - that's nothing" he replied. Lara scoffed while arching an eyebrow.
"Really? Because I think I saw you having trouble when we had to jump from pillar to pillar or had to outrun those moving razors ---"
"Well how about that time I had to save your behind from that falling statue or what about my contacts with the Discori Gang," he countered.
"Oh yes, I really should congratulate you for having relations with thug arms dealers," she said sharply.
"You're not a team player, Croft," Terry replied.
"Oh and you are?"
"I do lead a group of commandos with the Royal Marines, in case you've forgotten," he reminded her.
Lara felt his arms tighten around her. "But honestly Croft… These three months with you has been the best time of my life."
Lara's smile broadened, she didn't know what to say.
The two held each other, swaying on the ocean's waves….
…
"Lara! Lara! Are you listening," a voice said.
Lara snapped out of her reverie. Immediately, to her annoyance she realized that she was daydreaming - again…
Lara turned to her questioner.
"I'm sorry, Allen, I was just --- remembering something," she responded a little awkwardly. "I'm so sorry what were you saying?"
Lara grabbed an apple slice and repositioned her body on the blanket they shared. It was a beautiful day in Cornwall and the two were picnicking next to a cliff edge overlooking the sea.
Her companion, Allen, shook his head and smiled. "You're a mystery Lara," he said and shifted closer to her. She smiled up at the man who had entered her life only very recently.
Allen was an art dealer at the auction house. He was certainly attractive, but she never thought about him as more than an acquaintance until a week ago when he shyly asked her out.
Her first instinct was to say no, but she admitted, he was a welcome distraction from the events a little over a month ago when she prevented a mad man from retrieving Pandora's Box.
"What were you thinking about," Allen asked. A smirk appeared across her face.
"Well, I was thinking about diving off this cliff," she responded coyly.
Allen grinned. "Mmm, cliff diving – sure I've done that, but," his expression became serious, "this cliff must be what, 40 meters high? The highest you should jump is about 28 meters high… before the velocity becomes too strong," he said in a man-knows- everything tone.
Lara opened her mouth to say something – then stopped. Instead, she pursed her lips and nodded.
A seagull's cry filled the silence.
Kenya, Africa
Kosa hadn't returned to the village in almost a month since Lara Croft had stopped Jonathan Reiss from taking Pandora's Box.
His Land Rover halted to a stop on the village outskirts. A few children ran enthusiastically to the tall African warrior. He lifted them up easily and greeted the group that had waited for him.
"How is everyone doing," he said happily. The children grabbed his hand and led him eagerly to the center of the village.
Chief Juma and his wife sat at their usual perch. Juma had a worried expression on his face.
"My friend, what is the matter," Kosa asked with concern.
"Kosa, it is good that you return… For many days we wondered what to do with the foreigner," Juma said solemnly.
"Foreigner," Kosa said perplexed. The older man motioned for Kosa to follow him.
The chief led Kosa to one of the village's homes. The man lifted a flap covering the doorway.
Kosa starred in disbelief. On the ground a figure lay stretched out on the floor-mats motionless, but he was breathing, and he was definitely not dead.
"Juma – what happened! Lara Croft shot him, this cannot be," he said pointing at the body.
"A few of our warriors, they found him. They went inside the cradle before we sealed it to see -- Kosa they were just curious. And it was a good thing because they found that this foreigner was alive. Kosa, there is no explanation. We think the Cradle of Life has kept him alive… He hasn't awaken," the chief continued. "But he speaks in his dreams."
Kosa let out a sigh of relief. He had feared that Terry was in a permanent coma.
"What does he say Juma," Kosa inquired.
"We don't understand him," the chief said with a shrug. "He says the word 'Sarras'. We don't understand…" Kosa repeated the word to himself. He had no clue either.
But he knew who would.
He had to get Terry to her right away.
----------------
Disclaimer: I wish I had invented Lara Croft, but she and the rest of the characters are from the Tomb Raider movie series – however, if you're scratching your head about characters you haven't heard of before - then those are mine :P
Note: This is a continuation of my first LC/TS fan-fiction "Lara's Knight in Shining Armor." I decided to leave that thread as a "backgrounder" for Lara and Terry's relationship pre- Tomb Raider 2. I realized that the story here can stand on its own; however, it would be nice of you to read it because I'll be making references to it now and then! Finally, I'm super new to the Tomb Raider fanfic community and, well, to fan fiction in general (!), so any feedback is enormously appreciated. Thanks for reading!