I have another one-shot for you readers out there. In addition to that, some news as well: Return of Darkness' sequel would be up on 6th of November. I am going out of country for about ten days (26th October to 5th November). I need a day to write the first chapter. Ending's chapter would be up in a few hours, just adding the final touches. Meanwhile, PLEASE let me know how it was. Reviews, good or bad, gratefully accepted.

Band- Evanescence

Song- Tourniquet

Album- Fallen

Summary- All that happened after Kurtis slumped to the floor when Boaz stabbed him.

Lara Croft: Tomb Raider

One-shot:

Death may not be just the end

Kurtis managed to get up somehow. The pain in his abdomen had not decreased one bit, but he tried to ignore it, knowing what would be the result, but he tried anyway. "Ugh!" a sharp grunt left him, but he was not surprised by it. He was completely used to this, trying to kill the pain, knowing it will just bring more. However, this time, he did it on purpose. He had to find Lara, to warn her, to tell her…

With many muffled cries, he finally got himself on his feet, and tried to drag his wounded body towards the chamber from where the monster, Boaz, had emerged. A misstep, a slip and a fall; all before you know it. Kurtis groaned out in pain due to his crash landing. 'M-must g-get to h-her," he muttered to himself. Lara, a fascinating personality, a beautiful woman, a just person. He saw everything he wanted in a suitable girl in her. Too bad, he lay here, dying when finally he had found someone he wanted. "I-I'll live," he said to himself, as he produced a bundle of bandages from his pocket. He rather messily began tying them round his waist to stop the bleeding at least. Somehow, a part of him told him that he was living the very last moments of his life. He lifted his wounded body from the ground, a bit and all his weight fell on his head, but he tolerated it and continued.

As he lay there, too weak to do anything, he thought about his past life, regretting his hatred for his father when he very well knew that he was always telling him stuff to do for his own good. More crimson oozed out of his wound with every breath he took. He remembered being betrayed by the feeling of hatred he had for Konstantine, when his father died in his own arms, explaining how much Kurtis meant to him, but the thoughts of the young, ignorant Kurtis forced him to hate him, even until that last very moment.

He gathered his leftover strength, and tried to shout: "LARA!" his deep yet calm voice echoed around the completely dark chamber. "God, take me if you like, but please let Lara be okay," he prayed silently. He wondered for just once, would he be saved. Alternatively, because of his sins he was seeing this time. Would he be granted a salvation? Or was he too lost too be saved?

That moment, he realized what really life was, and hated to leave it. He wanted to live, not die! He wanted to stay alive and not see death. 'Why?' he asked himself, 'do you always realize the meaning of something when it's always too late! Why?'

He put aside the depressing thoughts, and then tried again, "LARA!" he screamed as loud as his strength would allow; but he was in for a surprise, this time.

"Wha-" a sound interrupted the calmness of the dark chamber, and it did not belong to Kurtis. A flash of light almost blinded him, as the familiar woman in shorts and a black top rushed to him.

"Kurtis!" she gasped at his current state. But all Kurtis recognized was the woman in front of him, and nothing else.

"La-lara," he began with a shaky voice. He raised his arm, that seemed as heavy as lead, and cupped her chin with it.

"I failed you once, Kurtis, I won't fail you again!" she cried with emotion flickering in her chocolate orbs. His tired face managed a smile, small but big enough to be noticed.

"D-do you re-mem-ber m-me? L-lost for s-so long," he continued between deep breaths, as the proportion of the oozing blood decreased. Lara took it professionally, and checked her wrist- watch, but her face softened and she answered.

"I can never forget you, and it's been only two hours, but a long time for someone wounded like you to survive."

"I-I'm glad you did-not f-forget m-me," he stammered, "Bless y-you. L-lara, can I b-be saved?"

Lara looked at his roughly tied tourniquet, and then confirmed that the chances were rather fifty-fifty, as he had lost too much blood.

"D-don't w-worry," he said as his courage piled up under his skin. Lara stared affectionately into his handsome face. A certain attraction she was feeling for him. It was because of him that she was the old Lara again. The happy Lara, finding positive points, always. The magical feeling she had when he was around, turned her to fire. She quickly snapped out of these thoughts, and then said to Kurtis, "What happened, exactly?"

"The damn thing, s-stabbed me, s-straight t-through," he answered darkly.

"Kurtis, I'm surprised how you all lived through it," she praised.

"F-for you. I-is he d-dead?" he asked.

"Ye-es," Lara answered slowly, then explained: "Karel killed him. Turned out he was the Monstrum all along. But he's dead too."

"How did he d-die?" Kurtis asked curiously.

"I used the Sanglyph," Lara answered, in a reassuring manner.

Kurtis relaxed immensely. He let out a deep slow breath and closed his eyes.

"That's good. Now w-we have got the j-justice we were owed," he said as he opened his dark azure eyes to see her.

"True."

'Now's the time to tell her' he mentally decided. "I-I want-ed to tell you some-t-thing," he began.

Lara leaned on him a bit, as she placed a hand on his wound, and to listen to him clearly. Kurtis swallowed, and then said: "It's a weird feeling I've been having since I saw you, in the café," 'that was a nice start' he appreciated himself.

"Like?"

"I can't explain; Too much of attraction, with patches of possessiveness. Might call it-"

"Love?" she completed for him.

"Yes, that's it," he said, happy that he had done what he wanted to. However, the day was not lucky for him. A sharp pain entered his body and spread from his abdomen to every inch of it. Lara turned death pale, and muttered a quick prayer.

"I'm dying, and even now, I love you," Kurtis clutched in agony, as he felt energy leaving him, warmness leaving him; life leaving him.

"L-lara," he last muttered, and his head lolled to his right shoulder, as tears ran down her cheeks.

"KURTIS!" she screamed as she put her forehead on his cold face and cried out freely. "You said what you had to, but what about me!" she yelled out.

She was tired now, that no Kurtis was alive. She wanted to be with him, to live with him, and be his only. Her past life gave her only bad memories that she had tried so much to forget them, but what happens? She keeps on recalling them, and now finally, when she thought she would live with someone a carefree life, he is gone!

A click bought her to the present, and swirling around, a gunshot echoed the dark chamber, and on top of Kurtis body slumped Lara's, dying. "K-kurtis," she whispered, and then she too left the world, as their souls reunited.

A one-shot, never to be continued…