Special thanks to AcidRush and Shauniwritesit for their reviews, and to anyone else (when I wrote this these two were my only ones, if you have reviewed since then, and you're not mentioned please do not take offence)

By the way, when I refer to the incident, I mean the Himalayas plane crash.

I'm glad you liked it, so here is the next chapter. By the way, the Aunt's name will be Kate in this, as she seems to be nameless. In this she will be Lara's dad's sister.

CHAPTER ONE

Lara traipsed through the empty street, fully aware of the curious stares she was receiving. Her usually slick, dark hair was messed up from sleeping in a field. Her clothes were covered with grass-stains from where she was tossing and turning all night.

She glanced up to see a woman grab the hand of her child, as if Lara posed a threat.

She had no idea where she was. She just walked where she wanted. This reminds me of the incident: the freedom is unnerving. She tried to stop thinking about the influence that plane crash had on her, but she couldn't help but think it was a good influence; one that helped her realise the pointless life she was living. Well, not anymore, she vowed to herself.

The town she walked through was beautiful. There were tiny thatched cottages with roses growing up the side, drowning the country air with their sweet aroma. There were children laughing, playing in the park opposite the church she had just passed. The church itself was a traditional Norman flint church, like hundreds across the country. The place looked like it was in a time warp, and for some reason, it made her feel happy.

On the outskirts of the village Lara noticed a newsagent. Deciding to get something to eat, she entered the converted cottage and closed the door behind her.

It was more like a traditional country farm shop than a modern newsagent. Fresh fruit was everywhere, grown pure by the farmer. Meat, vegetables and various produce was stacked against one wall. The only clue she had that it was really 1988 (A.N I worked it out as best as I could and deducted that she would have been 21 in 1988/1989, the year I was born...) was the Cadbury's chocolate on the counter next to the till.

She grabbed a wicker basket and filled it to the brim with her favourite fruit, strawberries, and grabbed some fresh bread. Lara slipped some notes from her bag and got ready to pay the assistant, a local teenager.

She had to wave at him a couple of times to get his attention. He was wearing something that looked like a 'beat it' jacket. (A.N. A beat it jacket is a red zipper leather jacket that Michael Jackson wore in his video for 'Beat It')

"You do know he has got a new album." She stated to the assistant, pointing at the jacket, the guy having finally taken his headphones off.

The teenager only grunted and held out his hand for money.

Pissed off, she handed him some notes and waited for some change. The pimply guy shoved some coppers into her hand and put 'Bad' back on. Irritated, she grabbed the headphones and snapped them back to his ears with a loud snap.

She started to argue with the guy, only stopping when she heard a voice she recognised.

"...And Winston, get some potatoes. We are fresh out..."

"Yes, milady."

Lara turned on her heel, causing her braid to slap the attendant across the face. Mental note: wash hair. She ran around a stall of fruit to be greeted by the sight of her elderly Aunt and her faithful butler and friend, Winston.

"Aunt Kate?" Lara said, eyes as big as saucers. She shook her head and looked back up to see if her favourite Aunt was still standing there.

She was. Kate Croft had long dark hair, just like Lara, only hers fell in torrents of curls, and was splashed with grey. She had the same nose as her father, but unlike her brother her eyes were grey. Steel grey. Her tissue paper skin was more wrinkled, but as she saw Lara she burst into a smile.

"Lara dear, how splendid to see you!" The woman grabbed her niece in a bone cracking hug before holding her at arms length, surveying her messed up hair, dirty clothes and tired face.

"Whatever is the matter dear? You look a fright! Come along, you shall come to my house and we will contact your father."

Lara stopped dead in the doorway of the shop. Her eyes welled with tears. She couldn't lie to her Aunt, her honourary mother after hers passed away. "He has thrown me out. He doesn't want to see me again, to put it basically, and he wants me to be one of those rich ladies who lay on their backside all day. I told him I want to see the world, meet people and have an adventure. He wants me to attend cocktail parties with rich snobs."

Lara felt the hot tears fall down her cheeks, thinking of how much she missed her father. They had their differences, but he was all she had, and now she didn't have that.

She felt her Aunt place an arm around her. "Then you will stay with us until your dreams come true."

Those words meant more to her than anything. She allowed herself to be steered into a 1950's black car. (A.N. I'm no good with car names.)

Lara woke up suddenly, after having yet another nightmare about the last time she saw her father.

She was surprised to see that she was in an elaborate four poster bed, snuggled underneath red and cream sheets. It took a few seconds to realise she was in Croft Manor, her Aunt's house.

Yesterday afternoon, as soon as she got in after the drive, she ran to her new bedroom and fell asleep without bothering to get changed.

She climbed out of the bed and looked around the room, having not being able to look last night due to tiredness.

There was a red brick fireplace opposite her bed, only embers remaining in the grate. The walls were whitewashed, as most Tudor buildings were. Next to her bed on the right was a closet, and then further along her own bathroom.

She jumped into the blue tiled bathroom and looked at the sunken tub in the corner. She switched on the taps and occupied herself by brushing her teeth with a new toothbrush at the sink.

The bath was relaxing; the warm water cleansing not only her body but her mind. Life didn't seem so bad, sitting in a bath tub, washing her sleep drugged body. Twenty minutes later, hair washed and feeling fully refreshed, she stepped inside the closet. She had unceremoniously dumped her dress in the bin moments before.

There were a few night gowns and a dressing gown on one wall. In a drawer underneath was the appropriate lingerie. Trousers and tank tops lined one wall, a collection of boots underneath.

Lara briefly remembered telling Kate her sizes yesterday. Someone must have bought these clothes.

She pulled a green tank top on and grabbed a pair of black trousers. She stuffed on some boots and turned to leave the small closet.

Standing in the doorway was her Aunt, dressed only in a night gown that touched the floor.

She smiled slightly and turned Lara around to face the wall.

Her Aunt started to braid her hair for her. "Lara today is the start of your new life. Gone are the horrible dresses, dinner parties and pointless social events. Today you are a new woman."

Lara smiled at her words and turned to embrace her mother-like figure in a warm hug. "Don't waste your life away like I have." Kate whispered in her ear...

……………………..

There, in case you are wondering, Winston and Kate were at the small village in Kent (it's called Bredgar, near where I live) because there was an annual summer fete on, Lady Kate Croft was opening it because Lara's father refused. I originally had them meet Lara there, but it really made the chapter boring and I couldn't find a place to say that's why they were there.

I tried to kind of capture what a village in England is like, a proper village. I hope it is okay.

Thanks for reading, please review,

Dan