Disclaimer: Not mine. Lara Croft and characters belong to the film company and Nintendo and all the Buffy characters belong to Joss Whedon.
Note: Something weird happened and chapter one uploaded in both chapter 1 and 2, so I'm resubmitting it again.
Lara was sitting at the kitchen table, when Bryce brought the mail. He looked tired and angry.
"What is it Bryce?" Lara asked, sorting through her mail.
"Had a bugger of a night," he said. "Something was howling outside my van."
"Did I forget to mention that the Hawkins's got a new dog?" Hillary said, placing some French Toast on the table. "Horrible little mutt. It's a toy poodle, but has lungs bigger than Lara's."
"Are you saying I'm loud?" Lara asked, between bites of toast.
"Not as much as you were when you were young, Lara," Hilly sat down with his breakfast.
"Are you saying I'm old?" Lara was clearly enjoying teasing Hillary.
"N-No," Hilly gave her a pained look. "Lara, really, you know exactly what I'm saying."
"I do," she nodded. Tossing some letters at Hilly and Bryce, she flipped through the others. "Those are the bills you need to pay," she said, opening a letter.
Dear Lara Croft,
I'm not sure if you'll remember me, I was a friend of your father's, before his tragic demise. The last time I saw you was at his funeral, a small girl of seven. You'd be almost 27 now, wouldn't you?
This letter isn't to rekindle a friendship with a dead man's daughter. I currently reside in Sunnydale, California. It has just been discovered that some ancient artifacts are hidden around our humble town. Having kept tabs on your whereabouts since you were young, I have a feeling you'll be interested. Sunnydale is keeping this discovery to themselves; worried about the treasure hunters.
The artifact that needs to be found is an amulet. Apparently it grants the innermost power to its wearer and is especially dangerous in a town like Sunnydale.
Sunnydale is a Hellmouth - a lot of mystical going ons happen in my very town.
If you should be interested, Lara dear, my address is 3/234 Playa Linda Condos, Sunnydale. I work at Sunnydale High School's Library.
Yours sincerely, Rupert Giles.
Lara sat up. "Hilly, do you know a man called Rupert Giles?" she asked, rereading her letter.
"Why, yes. Mr Giles was a great friend of your father. He is your godfather, Lara, and wanted to apply for custody when your father died," Hilly took the letter from Lara and read it.
"I do believe we're off to America," Lara aid cheerfully, standing up.
Bryce shook his head and yawned. "Bugger."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Lara had to organize two cars, her Norton motor bike, three computers, a crate of guns and ammo and her clothes to be transported to Sunnydale in three days.
"Lara, may I advise you to take a nice dress," Hilly said, as he folded her clothes into a suitcase. Lara wordlessly threw the offending white dress, shoes and hat at her butler and then handed him another twelve pairs of shorts.
"I wore that dress once, Hilly, and never again," Lara called, as she tossed hair brush, toothbrush and a first aid kid into her bag. And then followed was five pairs of combat boots, two pairs of sneakers and some hiking boots.
"I'm offended," Hilly said, zipping up Lara's bags. "Vincent Wilson is picking up the cars and your bike in half an hour, Lara; you need to make sure that they have petrol."
"Bryce has done that," Lara said, stacking her bags near the down, and unzipped her backpack. Her two .45, three daggers, ammo, a chemical laser, plastic explosives and Mr Giles's letter were folded in there. "I need to slip this in the secret compartment of the TVR. Bryce designed it so my precious guns could see America. And the gun permits are in my carry on."
As Lara bounced away to put her bag in the secret compartment, Hilly shook his head and carried Lara's bags downstairs.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Giles was worried. A week ago he had sent a letter to an old friend's daughter and there had been no reply or phone call. Having not spoken to anyone who knew Lara Croft at this day and age, Giles was worried the letter hadn't reached her or she thought he was a man whom desperately wanted to know his goddaughter. But then, did Lara know Giles was her godfather?
Willow, Buffy, Xander, Oz and Cordelia were sitting around the table, talking.
"Giles," they all nodded as he walked in.
"Giles, in Social Sciences, Ms Harper was looking at the artifact buried in Sunnydale and all the legends surrounding it," Buffy began. "Demons and really gross things. When am I going to need to locate the necklace thingy?"
Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them on his shirt. "Buffy..."he faltered and turned to the resident hacker. "Willow, could you please locate a file on a British Lady - Croft, Lara."
Willow smiled. "Sure," and turned to the computer.
Giles began again. "Buffy...locating this amulet is not a job you will be taking on. I've written to a friend of mine, to locate the amulet. This is not a job for a Slayer."
Everyone looked at him. "Giles! I'm the Slayer! Finding dangerous jewelry is practically my job!" Buffy exploded.
"Actually, that's Cordelia's," Xander joked.
"The person I've written to is quite capable," Giles smiled, thinking of some of Lara's adventures. "And will do a thorough job."
Oz shrugged. "So who is this person?"
"I'll only give you information on a need to know basis," Giles said, as the bell sounded. *Saved by the bell.* "Go to class."
"We're gone," Willow said, standing up. "Oh, Giles, there's no one in the database- who is still alive- with the name 'Croft'."
Giles felt his heart almost stop. "That's all, thank you Willow."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Lara stood in the carpark of Los Angeles International airport. "Hilly, Bryce, take the luggage in a car each. I'll take my Norton," she pulled the helmet on.
Bryce snorted. "Yes, I can just see Hilly on your Norton, Lara."
"Your ignorance is still amusing, Bryce," Lara smirked behind the helmet. "I've got a comm link and my mobile phone. I'll meet you at Sunnydale High in two hours," Lara started the bike and rode out of the carpark as fast as she could.
Zooming down the highway, Lara was half wondering what Mr Giles looked like.
It was a fairly quick trip on her bike; she darted in and out of traffic and annoyed a lot of the drivers. *This is almost fun,* Lara thought, wickedly. *All I need I my guns strapped to my legs and a knife sheathed at my ankle, and this would be a serious adrenaline rush.*
Lara pulled into a service station, to get a drink. Feeling she should probably make an impression on the students of SHS and Mr Giles, she strapped the guns to her leg and a knife on her ankle.
After another half an hour, she was speeding down the road to SHS.
*Perfect,* Lara thought. *Students who can fetch me Mr Giles."
*~*~*
Xander, Buffy, Willow, Oz and Cordy were sitting on the steps when Lara roared up.
Xander's eyes widened. Buffy, Willow and Cordelia also stared.
"What are you betting that that's Giles's friend?" Oz asked quietly.
"Too girl like," Willow said.
*~*~*
Lara tried to brake, but at the last second realised Bryce hadn't fixed her brakes.
"Bugger," she swore, and twisted the bike the opposite direction. Jumping off, she knelt and saw the exposed wires.
"Damnit," she shook her head and took of the heavy helmet. Heaps of students were gawking at her. Tucking the helmet under her arm, she walked up to the school.
Ignoring the whispering students, she made her way into the building, when a boy with bright red hair stopped her.
"Are you looking for Mr Giles?" he asked, looking pretty blasé.
"Yes," Lara said, "He wrote me that he worked here."
"Come on," the boy said. "I'm Oz,"
Lara nodded and followed him, just as Harmony stopped them.
"Oh. My. God," she said, looking at Lara. "Leather is so out. So are guns."
Lara pulled her .45 out of its holster and shrugged. She liked these guns and this girl was so...ditzy.
Oz looked at the guns and his eyes widened. Apparently this was a girl who didn't take any crap.
"Cool, guns," was all he managed to say. "Come on."
Lara was lead to a library, scarily similar to the one at her home. Dark, musty - but with those horrible books she used in high school; none of the books like her father had kept in their personal library.
She saw a middle aged man in a small office, reading a book.
"I'll go get him," Oz said, striding into the office. As Lara glanced around, she noticed four other teenagers enter the library - three girls and a boy.
"We're waiting for Oz," the redhead said, by way of explanation.
Lara couldn't give a damn who the redhead was waiting for, but nodded anyway. *No need to make any more enemies - yet,* Lara mused to herself, tapping her foot.
The boy, dark hair and kinda gangly, looked at her guns. "Are those real guns?" he asked. Lara detected a slight amount of fear.
"Yes, I think so," Lara replied, a hint of mocking in her tone.
Oz came back out and wrapped his arms around the redhead. "Mr Giles is coming," he nodded at Lara.
Mr Giles walked out, polishing his glasses on his shirt, stopping completely when he saw Lara. He went completely white, like he'd seen a ghost or something (and considering where they are, seeing a ghost wouldn't be so strange.)
"Giles, are you all right?" the blonde asked, taking a step forward.
"L-Lara," Giles said, completely ignoring Buffy. "You're..."
"Alive," Lara finished for him, smiling. "It's good to see you, Rupert."
Before Lara had left the manor, she had hunted down some old photo albums to find some of Rupert Giles. She had also picked Hilly's brains for information on her 'unknown' relative.
Lara had located some photographs of Rupert, remembering him only a little. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Rupert still looked a lot like he did when he was 20.
Giles walked over and hugged Lara, while the Scooby Gang looked on.
"Is anyone else confused?" Cordelia asked. They all raised their hands.
"Lara, dear, take a seat," Giles motioned to the library table. "I'll get my notes on the artifact."
As Rupert hurried away, the teens swooped in.
"Who the hell are you?" the red head demanded, storming over.
"Why do you have guns?" the brunette girl asked.
"Didn't you hear about the American School Massacre?" the brunette boy spat, still wary of Lara.
Giles hurried back out, clutching a manila folder of newspaper clippings. "Here we are," he seemed very happy, Buffy thought. She was still peeved about the person Giles was bringing in to look for the artifact.
Lara took the folder. "What do you actually know about the artifact?" she asked, reading the newspaper articles.
"W-Well, it grants the wearer their innermost wish. And considering this is Sunnydale, we need it located immediately," Giles said.
"Mmm," Lara flipped through the pages of research. "What exactly is the artifact?"
"Giles!" Buffy exploded, everyone turned to look at her. "Who the hell is she? Why can't Angel and I locate the stupid thingy majig and Who the hell is she?"
The Scooby gang sat around the table, waiting for Giles's explanation.
Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them. "Well, while I was studying at the Watcher's Council, I made a great friend - Lord Croft. Lord Croft was an archaeologist of rare and mystical objects. His wife was dead and he had a young daughter. Lord Croft was murdered in 1982, leaving his seven year old alone in the world - with several billion dollars, a title and a manor in her name.
"I tried to obtain custody of Lord Croft's daughter but failed. I lost track of the girl seven years later, when she went on her first expedition. When I moved to America three years ago, I lost track of her again," Giles nodded.
"So?" Buffy yelled.
"This is Lady Lara Croft, Lord Croft's daughter," Giles explained patiently. "I tracked her down recently, from a magazine. She is the one who will find the artifact for us, Buffy."
Note: Something weird happened and chapter one uploaded in both chapter 1 and 2, so I'm resubmitting it again.
Lara was sitting at the kitchen table, when Bryce brought the mail. He looked tired and angry.
"What is it Bryce?" Lara asked, sorting through her mail.
"Had a bugger of a night," he said. "Something was howling outside my van."
"Did I forget to mention that the Hawkins's got a new dog?" Hillary said, placing some French Toast on the table. "Horrible little mutt. It's a toy poodle, but has lungs bigger than Lara's."
"Are you saying I'm loud?" Lara asked, between bites of toast.
"Not as much as you were when you were young, Lara," Hilly sat down with his breakfast.
"Are you saying I'm old?" Lara was clearly enjoying teasing Hillary.
"N-No," Hilly gave her a pained look. "Lara, really, you know exactly what I'm saying."
"I do," she nodded. Tossing some letters at Hilly and Bryce, she flipped through the others. "Those are the bills you need to pay," she said, opening a letter.
Dear Lara Croft,
I'm not sure if you'll remember me, I was a friend of your father's, before his tragic demise. The last time I saw you was at his funeral, a small girl of seven. You'd be almost 27 now, wouldn't you?
This letter isn't to rekindle a friendship with a dead man's daughter. I currently reside in Sunnydale, California. It has just been discovered that some ancient artifacts are hidden around our humble town. Having kept tabs on your whereabouts since you were young, I have a feeling you'll be interested. Sunnydale is keeping this discovery to themselves; worried about the treasure hunters.
The artifact that needs to be found is an amulet. Apparently it grants the innermost power to its wearer and is especially dangerous in a town like Sunnydale.
Sunnydale is a Hellmouth - a lot of mystical going ons happen in my very town.
If you should be interested, Lara dear, my address is 3/234 Playa Linda Condos, Sunnydale. I work at Sunnydale High School's Library.
Yours sincerely, Rupert Giles.
Lara sat up. "Hilly, do you know a man called Rupert Giles?" she asked, rereading her letter.
"Why, yes. Mr Giles was a great friend of your father. He is your godfather, Lara, and wanted to apply for custody when your father died," Hilly took the letter from Lara and read it.
"I do believe we're off to America," Lara aid cheerfully, standing up.
Bryce shook his head and yawned. "Bugger."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Lara had to organize two cars, her Norton motor bike, three computers, a crate of guns and ammo and her clothes to be transported to Sunnydale in three days.
"Lara, may I advise you to take a nice dress," Hilly said, as he folded her clothes into a suitcase. Lara wordlessly threw the offending white dress, shoes and hat at her butler and then handed him another twelve pairs of shorts.
"I wore that dress once, Hilly, and never again," Lara called, as she tossed hair brush, toothbrush and a first aid kid into her bag. And then followed was five pairs of combat boots, two pairs of sneakers and some hiking boots.
"I'm offended," Hilly said, zipping up Lara's bags. "Vincent Wilson is picking up the cars and your bike in half an hour, Lara; you need to make sure that they have petrol."
"Bryce has done that," Lara said, stacking her bags near the down, and unzipped her backpack. Her two .45, three daggers, ammo, a chemical laser, plastic explosives and Mr Giles's letter were folded in there. "I need to slip this in the secret compartment of the TVR. Bryce designed it so my precious guns could see America. And the gun permits are in my carry on."
As Lara bounced away to put her bag in the secret compartment, Hilly shook his head and carried Lara's bags downstairs.
*~*~*~*~*~*
Giles was worried. A week ago he had sent a letter to an old friend's daughter and there had been no reply or phone call. Having not spoken to anyone who knew Lara Croft at this day and age, Giles was worried the letter hadn't reached her or she thought he was a man whom desperately wanted to know his goddaughter. But then, did Lara know Giles was her godfather?
Willow, Buffy, Xander, Oz and Cordelia were sitting around the table, talking.
"Giles," they all nodded as he walked in.
"Giles, in Social Sciences, Ms Harper was looking at the artifact buried in Sunnydale and all the legends surrounding it," Buffy began. "Demons and really gross things. When am I going to need to locate the necklace thingy?"
Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them on his shirt. "Buffy..."he faltered and turned to the resident hacker. "Willow, could you please locate a file on a British Lady - Croft, Lara."
Willow smiled. "Sure," and turned to the computer.
Giles began again. "Buffy...locating this amulet is not a job you will be taking on. I've written to a friend of mine, to locate the amulet. This is not a job for a Slayer."
Everyone looked at him. "Giles! I'm the Slayer! Finding dangerous jewelry is practically my job!" Buffy exploded.
"Actually, that's Cordelia's," Xander joked.
"The person I've written to is quite capable," Giles smiled, thinking of some of Lara's adventures. "And will do a thorough job."
Oz shrugged. "So who is this person?"
"I'll only give you information on a need to know basis," Giles said, as the bell sounded. *Saved by the bell.* "Go to class."
"We're gone," Willow said, standing up. "Oh, Giles, there's no one in the database- who is still alive- with the name 'Croft'."
Giles felt his heart almost stop. "That's all, thank you Willow."
*~*~*~*~*~*
Lara stood in the carpark of Los Angeles International airport. "Hilly, Bryce, take the luggage in a car each. I'll take my Norton," she pulled the helmet on.
Bryce snorted. "Yes, I can just see Hilly on your Norton, Lara."
"Your ignorance is still amusing, Bryce," Lara smirked behind the helmet. "I've got a comm link and my mobile phone. I'll meet you at Sunnydale High in two hours," Lara started the bike and rode out of the carpark as fast as she could.
Zooming down the highway, Lara was half wondering what Mr Giles looked like.
It was a fairly quick trip on her bike; she darted in and out of traffic and annoyed a lot of the drivers. *This is almost fun,* Lara thought, wickedly. *All I need I my guns strapped to my legs and a knife sheathed at my ankle, and this would be a serious adrenaline rush.*
Lara pulled into a service station, to get a drink. Feeling she should probably make an impression on the students of SHS and Mr Giles, she strapped the guns to her leg and a knife on her ankle.
After another half an hour, she was speeding down the road to SHS.
*Perfect,* Lara thought. *Students who can fetch me Mr Giles."
*~*~*
Xander, Buffy, Willow, Oz and Cordy were sitting on the steps when Lara roared up.
Xander's eyes widened. Buffy, Willow and Cordelia also stared.
"What are you betting that that's Giles's friend?" Oz asked quietly.
"Too girl like," Willow said.
*~*~*
Lara tried to brake, but at the last second realised Bryce hadn't fixed her brakes.
"Bugger," she swore, and twisted the bike the opposite direction. Jumping off, she knelt and saw the exposed wires.
"Damnit," she shook her head and took of the heavy helmet. Heaps of students were gawking at her. Tucking the helmet under her arm, she walked up to the school.
Ignoring the whispering students, she made her way into the building, when a boy with bright red hair stopped her.
"Are you looking for Mr Giles?" he asked, looking pretty blasé.
"Yes," Lara said, "He wrote me that he worked here."
"Come on," the boy said. "I'm Oz,"
Lara nodded and followed him, just as Harmony stopped them.
"Oh. My. God," she said, looking at Lara. "Leather is so out. So are guns."
Lara pulled her .45 out of its holster and shrugged. She liked these guns and this girl was so...ditzy.
Oz looked at the guns and his eyes widened. Apparently this was a girl who didn't take any crap.
"Cool, guns," was all he managed to say. "Come on."
Lara was lead to a library, scarily similar to the one at her home. Dark, musty - but with those horrible books she used in high school; none of the books like her father had kept in their personal library.
She saw a middle aged man in a small office, reading a book.
"I'll go get him," Oz said, striding into the office. As Lara glanced around, she noticed four other teenagers enter the library - three girls and a boy.
"We're waiting for Oz," the redhead said, by way of explanation.
Lara couldn't give a damn who the redhead was waiting for, but nodded anyway. *No need to make any more enemies - yet,* Lara mused to herself, tapping her foot.
The boy, dark hair and kinda gangly, looked at her guns. "Are those real guns?" he asked. Lara detected a slight amount of fear.
"Yes, I think so," Lara replied, a hint of mocking in her tone.
Oz came back out and wrapped his arms around the redhead. "Mr Giles is coming," he nodded at Lara.
Mr Giles walked out, polishing his glasses on his shirt, stopping completely when he saw Lara. He went completely white, like he'd seen a ghost or something (and considering where they are, seeing a ghost wouldn't be so strange.)
"Giles, are you all right?" the blonde asked, taking a step forward.
"L-Lara," Giles said, completely ignoring Buffy. "You're..."
"Alive," Lara finished for him, smiling. "It's good to see you, Rupert."
Before Lara had left the manor, she had hunted down some old photo albums to find some of Rupert Giles. She had also picked Hilly's brains for information on her 'unknown' relative.
Lara had located some photographs of Rupert, remembering him only a little. Fortunately (or unfortunately) Rupert still looked a lot like he did when he was 20.
Giles walked over and hugged Lara, while the Scooby Gang looked on.
"Is anyone else confused?" Cordelia asked. They all raised their hands.
"Lara, dear, take a seat," Giles motioned to the library table. "I'll get my notes on the artifact."
As Rupert hurried away, the teens swooped in.
"Who the hell are you?" the red head demanded, storming over.
"Why do you have guns?" the brunette girl asked.
"Didn't you hear about the American School Massacre?" the brunette boy spat, still wary of Lara.
Giles hurried back out, clutching a manila folder of newspaper clippings. "Here we are," he seemed very happy, Buffy thought. She was still peeved about the person Giles was bringing in to look for the artifact.
Lara took the folder. "What do you actually know about the artifact?" she asked, reading the newspaper articles.
"W-Well, it grants the wearer their innermost wish. And considering this is Sunnydale, we need it located immediately," Giles said.
"Mmm," Lara flipped through the pages of research. "What exactly is the artifact?"
"Giles!" Buffy exploded, everyone turned to look at her. "Who the hell is she? Why can't Angel and I locate the stupid thingy majig and Who the hell is she?"
The Scooby gang sat around the table, waiting for Giles's explanation.
Giles took off his glasses and began to polish them. "Well, while I was studying at the Watcher's Council, I made a great friend - Lord Croft. Lord Croft was an archaeologist of rare and mystical objects. His wife was dead and he had a young daughter. Lord Croft was murdered in 1982, leaving his seven year old alone in the world - with several billion dollars, a title and a manor in her name.
"I tried to obtain custody of Lord Croft's daughter but failed. I lost track of the girl seven years later, when she went on her first expedition. When I moved to America three years ago, I lost track of her again," Giles nodded.
"So?" Buffy yelled.
"This is Lady Lara Croft, Lord Croft's daughter," Giles explained patiently. "I tracked her down recently, from a magazine. She is the one who will find the artifact for us, Buffy."