This is my first attempt at writing a Marvel story, so please don't kill me if I get anything wrong. Thanks. Constructive criticism is appreciated, FLAMES ARE NOT.

. . .

Prologue

In a lonely, stuffy old garage...

Lara grimaced as she smashed the buttons excitedly on her controller. A small yellow feline-like creature was hoverbooting at high speeds, his health bar dangerously low. Missiles flew past him, barely missing by inches. "C'mon, Ratchet... one more ramp!" As said game character hoverbooted off the ramp, a missile came flying across the screen and blew him away.

"Aw, Shatner!" Lara threw down her controller onto the couch cushion in frustration. She switched on the microphone on her headset. "Having fun yet, Milhouse?"

"Hey, who'ya callin' Milhouse, eh, Lara? Gonna attack me with a bow and arrow now?"

Lara smirked. "Hey, don't make fun, Elias. I happened to like that movie, you know."

"Then... are you gonna chop off my face with a pick axe?" Elias teased.

"That's just gross. Really, really gross. You're so bad!" Lara retorted, laughing, while taking a handful of popcorn from the bowl beside her and munching on it. "And by the way, that didn't happen in the movie. I guess maybe the games, though... sort of. Wanna rematch?"

"Nah... better quit while I'm ahead, you nerd."

"What is it with you and movie references? Do you have a photograph memory or something? I'd say you're the nerd here."

"Eh, I dunno, I guess I just... hold on there Lara, I- hey, what are you doing? HEY! HEY! Augh!"

"Elias?!" Lara called, panicking now. "Elias, are you there?!" No answer. Should have expected as much. Lara immediately dropped her popcorn and raced to her car. She tore off the muddy old cloth covering it and grabbed her keys. Then she opened the garage door and hopped in her car. As she started it up, she dialed 9-1-1, desperately hoping her friend was okay.

"Hang on, Elias, I'm coming."

As Lara raced her car down the road, telling the woman on the line about what happened, she did not see the pickup truck swerving drunkenly across the road until it was too late. Her head slammed into the steering wheel as both vehicles collided, and as the darkness enveloped her in its embrace, she thought, "Yep, this is the end..."

"Mom! Dad! Don't go!" Lara shrieked at the top of her lungs, kicking, squirming, struggling to break free as her new "parents" pulled her away. "Please! I don't want you to leave!"

Her mother looked at her without the least bit of sadness in her eyes. Her father didn't look at her at all. They didn't care. Not in the slightest.

"Please..."

Another voice then spoke, one familiar to her, yet at the same time not. "Wake up," it said. "Wake up." Lara looked around for the source, but all she saw was the cold hurtful memory continuing to play out. The voice only grew more demanding. "Wake up!" It grew louder in volume, shattering Lara's memory like it was glass.

"WAKE UP!"

Lara screamed, wide awake now. She scrambled backwards away from the source, evidently a tall man with long, dark hair and fancy clothes- - - Loki. The guy who practically annihilated Manhattan. And did a whole lot of other crazy shit.

"Loki?" She stared at him, terror washing over her like a flood. "No, no, this cannot be happening... I'm dead, aren't I? I'm dead, I'm dead, I'm dead- or this is some crazy dream... God help me..." Lara collapsed back onto the ground, unconscious again.

When she awoke again, Lara found herself lying on her back in a dark cave. The mouth was a few feet away and she could see that it was pouring cats and dogs outside. There was the snap of a stick and Lara jerked her head to see Loki sitting a ways away with his back to her, tossing sticks into a fire. He didn't even glance at her.

If Lara was quiet enough, maybe she could get away without him noticing.

"So... the mortal's finally awake." Loki stood up and turned to glare at her. So much for trying to get away unnoticed.

Lara stood up like lightning and sprinted out into the downpour.

"Hey! Get back here!" Loki shouted. Lara could hear him chasing after her and she vaguely wondered why, if he really was Loki, why he didn't use his powers on her. But when a bolt of lightning struck a nearby tree, blowing it to smithereens upon impact, all traces of her confused disappeared. Her heart began to race. Adrenaline pumped through her veins. She ran faster, more recklessly. The only thing that remained in her mind was the need, the urge, the instinct to survive.

Lara yelped as her right foot suddenly twisted. She slipped forward and fell, rolling down the hill in the slick, wet mud. When she reached the bottom, she attempted to stand, but her right foot wouldn't take any weight.

Lara collapsed back onto the wet dirt, crying. Just what in the universe was going on?

. . .

Okay, so hopefully this chapter was decent enough. Also, kudos to whoever guesses what movie this takes place after (though I guess it's kinda obvious.) And yes, I'm probably the world's biggest Tomb Raider fan. Lol!

Please review and tell me what you all think so far! :) Since I was kinda tired when I wrote this, it probably does need some revision.

See ya all next time.