IN THE TIME WE HAVE, CHAPTER 1

"Hang on, how'd you break your toe?" asked Lara.

Elsie placed her phone on speaker as she mixed the stew. "By being a klutz," she said sheepishly. "I had to jump over a car's hood, a moving car, mind you, and well, I screwed the landing. We ended up shooting it a few more times, finally managed to nail it in the end."

"You mean you continued with it, toe and all?"

"Well, sure," said Elsie. "It comes with the job, Lara. Bumps and bruises, broken bones sometimes…anyway you should talk."

"Ouch!" said the brunette.

"Oh, but the shot looks so cool now," said the blonde excitedly, adding a dash of thyme to the brew. "I'll send you a clip once we get the dailies back, you'll be proud of me."

"Bugger, Elsie," said Lara. "Please be careful…"

Elsie chuckled. "I will if you will."

A sigh. "Fair point," admitted the brunette.

"So where are you off to next?" asked Elsie. "Please tell me you're not going back to Syria with all the shit going on over there these days..."

"I'm not, but…that's partly why I called, actually," said Lara.

Elsie turned the heat down on the saucepan. "What do you mean?"

The brunette hesitated.

"Lara?"

"Sam says I'm a bit…knackered," said the brunette. "Apparently I'm...obsessing…"

Oh shit…

"And in truth, she's right…"

Elsie dragged a stool closer to the counter and sat down.

"Lara," said the blonde, "from everything you've told me it seems like you've hardly stopped to take a breath in two years..."

"I had to, Elsie," said Lara softly. "It's doubly frustrating that all I've seemed to come up with are more questions, and hardly any answers…I know I'm close…but at the same time I know I can't keep going at this pace..."

"You need a breather," said Elsie. "Really, Lara. Why don't you and Sam go somewhere?"

"That's just it, Elsie," said Lara. "We're always going somewhere. Things just tend to…get out of control…""

"I meant somewhere not archaeology-related, someplace you could just clear your mind of that shit. Why not try Venice, it's such a beautiful city, and - "

"Tombs."

"Okay, bad example," said Elsie. "How about Paris?"

"Crypts."

"Argh. Okay, Rome then."

"Catacombs."

"Geez Louise, Lara," said Elsie, slapping her thigh in exasperation. "It's all work with you, isn't it?"

"Hence..."

"Well, how about Vegas, then?" Suggested Elsie. "Pretty sure there's no ancient dead stuff down there."

"Elsie - "

"I know, that's the worst one of them all, isn't it?" asked Elsie. "I can't picture you playing the one-armed bandits anyway."

Silence.

"Helloooooo…"

"I shouldn't be burdening you with this…"

"Burden away!" exclaimed Elsie. "God, Lara, stop being a freaking martyr. I want to help."

A sigh.

"Sam feels…I need a break from everything, to clear my head…she thinks it would do me good if I…"

Something in Lara's tone caught Elsie's attention; her voice had a delicacy that she'd never heard before.

"Those little holidays of yours, in the wilds," ventured Lara hesitantly, "Do you take them every year?"

Elsie's heart caught in her throat. Did she dare hope…?

"Twice a year, actually," said Elsie, trying to keep an even tone. "Normally a week in midsummer and another in the fall…why?"

"I was wondering…if…you'd like some company next time…"

"Are you freaking kidding me?"

"But I really don't want to impose – "

"Oh hush you daft duck," blurted Elsie in an exaggerated Scottish brogue. "Of course I'd love your company, my God!"

"But please tell me if it's not conv– "

"Stop being a hermit!"

"Sorry," breathed Lara. "It's just…this isn't easy for me, Elsie…"

Elsie bit her lip. "I know," she said softly. "I'm just, well, a little shocked, Lara…but not in a bad way, mind you."

"You and I both," said Lara. "But I think…I need this."

Elsie's stomach twisted at the emotion in her friend's voice; she shuddered to think of the young Englishwoman's frame of mind for her to be reaching out so...

"No one's indestructible, Lara," said Elsie earnestly. "There's no shame in that."

"If…you're really sure…"

"I promise I will bring you to Zen Central," said Elsie. "Let's do this."

-oOo-

It was a sight Elsie had never expected to lay eyes on again.

There she was, clad in a brown form-fitting knitted woollen top with a scoop neckline, khaki pants and well-worn hikers' boots. The Englishwoman's arms were crossed as she leaned back against a large poster of Mystique in the airport terminal, one leg bent up at the knee with the corresponding boot pressed against the wall. Her long brown hair was bound in its familiar loose ponytail and partly spilled across one shoulder.

Elsie's stomach knotted. Plainly clad as she was, the brunette was heart-stoppingly beautiful.

The blonde stood transfixed, hardly noticing the throngs of people moving about the airport terminal. What had instead caught her attention was Lara's body language: defensive and guarded, brown eyes darting back and forth amongst the crowds, her demeanour that of a cornered animal just waiting for a chance to bolt.

Damn.

The brunette's gaze finally fell on her, and the archaeologist's countenance instantly changed. She pushed off the wall, brown eyes filled with relief and appreciation.

Elsie dashed through the crowd and utterly threw herself at her friend, wrapping Lara in a bear hug while simultaneously locking her legs around the startled brunette's waist. The archaeologist staggered back a step, somehow managing to keep her balance as she returned the blonde's near crushing embrace.

"God I missed you!" whispered Elsie into the Englishwoman's ear. She had no care of the countless eyes on them: all she wished in that instant was for the hands of time to grind to a halt as her universe shrunk to a few square feet of linoleum. The blonde determined never to let go.

"Elsie," whispered the brunette after considerable time, "You know I cherish you dearly…but you're getting seriously heavy - "

The blonde finally slid off her friend. "Was wondering how long you'd last," she laughed. Taking the archaeologist's hands in hers, she smiled and slowly shook her head. "I still can't believe you're really here, my God..."

Lara glanced down shyly. "That was…quite the greeting," she said softly. "Better than I deserve, really…"

"You'll always be welcome in my life, Lara," said Elsie, squeezing the brunette's hands for emphasis. She nodded to the sliding doors. "C'mon, let's blow this popsicle stand."

Elsie grabbed Lara's small duffle while the latter retrieved her backpack, there being no other luggage. Lara evidently travelled light.

They made their way down several blocks to where Elsie's car was parked curbside. The American tossed Lara's duffle in the back seat.

She turned to find the brunette staring with evident concern at her admittedly battered Volkswagen Thing.

"Okay, she may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts," assured the blonde.

Lara slowly raised her gaze to meet the American's.

"It'll get us there, yes?" asked the brunette.

"Nice," said Elsie gruffly. "Get in."

Lara tucked her backpack into the back and slid into the passenger seat.

"She'll take us to where we need to go," said Elsie encouragingly. "Don't you worry."

"What about getting us back?" asked Lara.

"Well if you're gonna get all technical – "

She turned the key.

The car started, gurgled for a moment, then stalled.

"Cripes," breathed Elsie, hitting her forehead against the steering wheel in embarrassment. "Great timing, girl."

"Would it help if I pushed?"

"It might!" barked Elsie, turning the key again.

This time the engine turned over, and while it rattled like a half-empty bottle of pills, it continued to run.

"See?" said Elsie with relief. "No problem…"

Lara glanced at her sideways, her brown eyes dubious.

In her excitement Elsie popped the clutch a little too quickly; the car shuddered violently, a young couple on the sidewalk jumping back at the bar's abrupt lurch, and stalled once more. The blonde felt like hiding under the cowl.

"Just say it," said the American resignedly. "You know you want to."

Lara instead remained silent, gazing up at the sky and biting her lower lip, doing her utmost to keep a smile from her features - and not entirely succeeding.

But to Elsie, the sight was worth infinitely more than a few embarrassing stalls.