Months after my wounds heal, the scars still remain. Physical and mental, not a day goes by that there's not some reminder of what happened to us on Yamatai. Us, because I can scarcely let Sam out of my sight.

I don't know if someone is going to grab her, or hurt her. I can't sleep at night, between the nightmares and the obsessive need to check on her. Sam can't sleep on her own anyway, so I welcome her into my bed to cling to me in the darkness. I can protect her all the better that way, and maybe she can protect me from the nightmares.

Six months after the Endurance went down, taking family and friends and so many memories with it, I decide that Sam needs to know how to defend herself. She needs to be able to shoot, to swing an axe and disable or kill an assailant.

I purchase a mat and lay it out on the living area floor while she's out. Sam is barely through the door when I throw a ratty pair of shorts and a tank top at her. "Change. I'm going to teach you how to throw someone off of you."

"Lara, I just got in." She pulls the tank off of her face and wrinkles her nose. It's cute and almost enough to sway me. Almost. We stare each other down before she sighs and relents, disappearing into her room in order to change.

I'm already in my exercise clothing, it's similar to what I gave Sam, but of course she comes out wearing pink short shorts and a pink sports bra. It looks really good on her and reminds me of the guilty pleasure I feel when she burrows in against me at night.

"Is this good enough?"

"We're training, you don't need to be stylish."

Sam puts her hand to her heart. "Lara Croft, I always need to be stylish."

For the first time in months we're really bantering again. I think that maybe everything will be all right. "Okay, so you're stylish and walking down the street."

She grins at me and starts strutting across the mat like she's on the catwalk. Her shorts ride up a little and I nearly forget I'm supposed to be attacking her. I shake my head and pounce on her from behind.

She shrieks and flails, clawing at my hand. It's momentarily effective but I tighten my grip and hiss in her ear. "Shin, go for my shin."

Sam breaks free and runs to the couch, picking up a pillow and throwing it at me. "Pretend that was a brick!"

"Good work, Sam!" Grinning, I pull her back onto the mat. "Now we're going to practice throws. If you can get them off balance you can get away easier."

I want her safe, I want her close. I never want her out of my line of vision but I have to accept I can't always be there. I throw her until she's sore and until she finally manages to get me onto my back. Our faces are so close, her hair dangling down and tickling my cheeks and mouth. We're both sweaty and out of breath. She shifts, straddling me and my head starts to grow foggy. I can't stand it for very long before flipping us around, pinning her shoulders into the mat and squeezing my legs on either side of her hips. Now it's my hair caressing her face. Our lips are so close I can taste her breath.

She half-heartedly tries to throw me off, but I'm stronger and I don't think she really wants to. Frozen. I'm frozen. I can't move away, she's so tantalizing, so close, I want her so badly. I can't move any closer because if I do I'll lose her and she's the last thread that keeps me sane.

My willpower starts to crumble as her hips wriggle between mine. One kiss, maybe I can joke about it later when this inevitably goes wrong. Her hand runs up my bare leg and every nerve in my body feels like fire.

Someone knocks loudly at the door and the spell breaks. I'm off of her and on my feet in a few seconds, my hands in my hair to fix the pony-tail that had gotten knocked loose.

I must have looked a sight to the poor delivery man as I open the door. I sign for the package, then rebolt and relock the door after he's gone. Sam isn't on the mat anymore, and I close my eyes. I'm worked up and confused about her reactions, but she's retreated to her room and I can only think the worse.

That night, after a cold shower and a silent meal, I lay in bed alone. I hear my door open and the sound of Sam's familiar feet as she enters my room. My muscles melt with relief. Sam climbs into bed with me, curling into my side as her hand slides until my shirt. Her fingers begin the familiar tracing of the nasty scar on my stomach. It only takes a few minutes before my tremoring at her touch stops.

"Lara?"

"Yes, Sam?" My voice is thicker than usual. With a turn of my head I bury my nose into her hair, my lips feather light against the silky strands.

Sam's hand starts stroking at my hip bone. "Keep teaching me. I don't want to be a burden."

"You're never a burden." On the bright side, I'm going to save on hot water for the foreseeable future.