Dear Readers,

This is has been so far my least favorite chapter to do. Mostly because it is one of the three chapters where the content is so difficult for me to write about. I am sorry that this was not posted last Saturday. However, my Aunt who was like a second mom to me unexpectedly died that morning. Needless to say, I didn't feel like writing at all. So I am sorry if you all were disappointed but my family will always come first. Especially in moments when support or comfort was needed.

!WARNING!

This chapter is dark. At least I found it to be such. There is mention of attempted rape. (It doesn't go far but it's still ugly) There is some serious mental issues that come up as well. I explain some of my reasoning in the authors notes as well, located at the bottom. The reason why I don't like the content of this chapter is because it is SO dark. Lara goes on a roller coaster and I hate it. However, I hope the writing is good enough that you will see that while this is dark it is not dark for funs... its dark because Lara and others need the character development that comes through horrible things. Remember, this is a story of baptism by fire... that means it hurts.

On to Review Replies:

DarthTroubleMake: I am super glad you enjoyed the chapter. I am assuming that by 'tension' you are not referring to the conflicts but the *ahem* chemistry between some of the characters... aka... Whitman and Alex. ;) As to the film... I would give it a 4/10... but with 2 beers it rose to a 6/10. :D

Kit: Sorry about it taking a month. Though I am glad you were happy to see the chapter show up. Your enthusiasm is much appreciated. I certainly hope to be done before September... no promises but if I do a chapter a week... (I know I know) then I should be able to finish before that. There are roughly 20 more chapters...

Guest: Yay! you don't have to wait a month! All jokes aside I really appreciate that you like the story and how understanding you are.

NoirValor: I am so happy you are enjoying the story. This next chapter is dark and is going to be vital for character development. Hopefully you will like this chapter too.

Seriously, I am blessed by your reviews. Thank you for taking the time to write them as it tells that you like it. Also, gives you guys the option to give ideas, who knows I might use them :D

Please Read and Review!

As always, I hope you enjoy!


Chapter Four: The Darkness In The Soul

Lara could feel herself being half carried and half dragged onward. As to where she was going she had absolutely no idea. So far, the island had provided her with a special view of what hell must be like. The man forced her to her knees as Lara stared trying to focus on her surroundings. As she did she noticed that she was in some sort of ancient village that was seated in the cliffs. 'Roth must be somewhere up in that direction provided that he still alive.' Lara thought. She looked next to her she recognized a fellow prisoner that a crewmember on the Endurance. 'Name is David something,' Lara couldn't remember his last name but she did remember that he was a deck crew hand. 'A genuine nice guy. Married with two kids if I remember. His wife had just given birth before we set sail.' Lara looked ahead and she saw the Russian man from before walking toward her.

Forcing her to stand and he muttered in Russian, Lara shivered in fear, she might not know Russian, but the man's intent was completely obvious and the way he was gloating carried through to almost any language. There were no words for the feeling of helplessness that there absolutely nothing that she could do to stop this man. She tried to block out the feeling of the man's hands running over her body and she looked anywhere but at the man.

There was nothing that could save her from her fate that was about to happen. However, it seemed she was wrong. Someone was having none of that, that someone being David. Lara could hear more than see the outbreak as David surged to his feet and tackled the Russian yelling, "You get your damn hands off her. Run Lara!"

The struggle was all the others needed as the captured crewmembers burst off running in different directions. Again, Lara ran and but this time she had the foresight to start hiding as well as she could behind rock walls, brush, anything that would mask her presence from the hunters. Who were now searching all around the area yelling and shooting.

Soon the air was thick with the curses, shouts and the screams. To the hunters this must have been some sort of exciting sport, but to Lara and the others this was not a sport; it was a game of survival where all of them had to live or die. There was no middle ground and there was no other alternative. 'I need a clue and I need to find both Roth and Alex.' Lara thought and so as the game had started Lara continued by starting to creep around the hunters knowing that discovery was instant death if she was lucky and rape if she was not. She could hear the gunfire and the screams that happened throughout the village.

There really was no way to understand the horror of the environment that she was in. Lara was trying to get through the village but she knew that all around her friends and colleagues were dying. The pain of being in such darkness, and not the physical darkness of night being around her, but the evil darkness in men's hearts. The tears streaked down Lara's cheeks as she huddled behind a stone wall she could hear the brutal screams filling the air as bullets and death descended on small ancient village.

'Keep moving… you must keep moving.' Ross' good advice rang through her mind. It was much easier said than done though. Much easier. She had to keep moving but, if she was not careful her moving could be the death of her. Everything around her told her to hide and wait it out. However, she felt the steely determination rising inside of her as she decided she must move on and she refused to die here. Lara knew that the awful things that she had seen so far were not the epitome of how far humanity could go. But she also knew that she had to keep going for the sake of people like Alex and David. To men that she had no claim on but had sacrificed themselves for her sake. She would honor those sacrifices. They would not be in vain.

So onward she went. She passed several hunters, but thankfully they did not see her. Lara kept to the shadows and to the high rock walls that peppered the area. She could hear though as she moved on the hunters talking to each other. The two sounded very American as they called out as they hunted.

"Have you seen the girl?"

"No, why?"

"Sounds like she escaped. Antonio is fuckin' pissed man."

"Well, I'll keep looking."

Suddenly, the gunshots where fired as a third man started yelling.

"Got ourselves a runner!" Which was followed by three gunshots and scream. Lara started trembling as she wondered how such a thing could be happening. It was worse than the most evil horror movie she had ever watched. She peered over the wall she was hiding behind and looked over at the hunters. She had an opening as they were focused on the man they had just killed. She jumped up as quickly as her bound hands would allow as she rain to the next hiding spot.

Lara heard the gleeful voice of the American again. "We got another runner in the trap."

"Wait! Wait! Don't! Please don't!" The absolute terrified pleading was interrupted by the gunshot. Lara closed her eyes as she listened to the dying man's wheezing his last breaths. She could still hear him still pleading in her mind. Lara could feel something turning cold inside of her. It wasn't anger, not even hatred, but almost a loathing disgust. Still she could feel the desperate need to get away from it all. 'To escape from Hell. I have got to get out of here.' Lara sighed as she hurried towards a ruined building that she could hide in and all around her she could hear the hunters searching. Their laughter cruel and cold. She stopped and listened as right next to her.

"We need to find the rest of them. Move out! They are still around here."

"They have a lot of spirit. Makes the hunt so much more fun. It's nice having a challenge."

"It's a shame we have to kill them. We could use some new recruits."

"Did you hear about the girl?"

"I heard Antonio lost her. Big fuckin shame, she's hot apparently."

"Yeah, well let's hope we find her before someone else turns her over to Father Mathias." Lara could feel her breath catching in her throat. 'Father Mathias? That's new. Sounds like he is one of the leaders.'

"Yeah, what a waste man… I haven't had a girl in over three years man... That's a really long wait."

Lara gasped in horror as it hit her again. Capture was not an option. She was not going to be raped on this God damn island. She tried to shake the feeling as she moved on. The only way up was a stone stairway. She started to pray as she run up it. She needed there not to be anyone at the top of the stairs, if she ran to anyone on the stairs she would be doomed. She made to the top of the stairs and right in front of her were two men. Thankfully, they had their backs to her and were walking away, but Lara thanked whatever lucky stars she had left. She saw a shack that was barely standing to her right.

'This is my last hope.' Lara thought as she ran as quietly as she could toward the shed. She slipped in the last possible second as a flashlight beam passed over her. Lara could feel her heart stop beating and then continued in what sounded obscenely loud. Then she heard the sound of heavy feet walking past her… The man had a flashlight and had been apparently behind her climbing the stairs. The man passed, stopped and then turned back toward her. Lara could make out the man was muttering in Russian… 'Oh no… God no!'

Lara heard the sound of a gun been cock, "No one escapes!" boomed the mocking voice spoke to her, it seems so surreal to Lara. The flames, screams, shouts and gunshots all faded into the background of Lara's consciousness. She had been found. She was going to die. Her fate was sealed as she stepped out staring up the barrel of a gun at the dark eyes gazing at her. She shivered at the evil in them that was lurking there.

"Out!" the man calmly stated and added in Russian a string of words. Lara slid out of her hiding place as smoothly as she could and tried to quickly get around the man. It was to no avail, the man grabbed her firmly and threw her against the building. Lara could feel the breath slightly knocked out of her as she gulped in fear. The Russian stepped close to her. "I always find them. I always find them."

He started to run his hands down Lara's bare shoulders and arms as he continued talking in Russian Lara closed her eyes as her body, her soul screamed against the foreign contact. The man murmured against her hair, "YA sobirayus' trakhnut' tebya, chert poberi, detka, ya zastavlyu tebya krichat'!" Lara felt like screaming.

She felt the hand groping her chest while another rested at the hem of her shirt. Lara closed her eyes to the horror and her mind instantly brought up Alex's face. He had just been talking to her over his glasses. The way his eyes gleamed in their vibrant sapphire but cold steel awoke something inside her. 'I refuse to be raped without giving it all I've got.' This determination to survive, to live to see Alex and Roth again. To not give up.

She saw Alex holding the glasses. "It was them or me, and I choose me." His words rang through the corners of her mind. As she agreed with him… 'I choose me.' She could feel welling up in center of her core her decision, 'I choose me.' Her mind demanded Alex's sacrificed be honored so that it was actually worth something and not nothing at all. To have his sacrifice lead to nothing would be the cruelest thing she could do.

Lara opened her eyes, she could see the gloating lust in the Russian's eyes. The look of triumph over her, and it made her furious. 'If he wants action, God I will give him action.'

The Russian must not have been expecting much resistance, because he did not react very fast. He stumbled backwards as Lara's knee swiftly connected with his most sensitive member. Lara tried to run but only made it two steps before she felt her arm grabbed as the Russian threw her against the building again. He stepped close against her, sandwiching her against the post forcefully and pressing with his body against hers. He was cursing in Russian and Lara though from the impact against the wall of the building she felt her bonds slightly loosen. Hope started to steer in her heart.

He growled something against her neck, but Lara wasn't giving up though. Using her free access and the closeness she turned her head and bit the Russians ear, hard. Lara ripped her head away as the man staggered one hand reaching for the little remaining of his ear and the other for his gun at his waist. Lara spat out the bottom half of the man's ear and blood. There was no fight or flight here only the winner of this fight would get to live. Lara was determined that would be her. She charged, lowering her shoulder ramming it straight into the man's chest causing him to fall into the ground. The gun flew off to the side and Lara dove after it. She had been straining against her bonds ever since she had been through against the building and finally they broke.

Lara grabbed the gun and she spun on her back as the Russian lunged at her swearing profusely; Lara just pulled the trigger. Firing the gun twice before the man reached her flinching as she hit him in the shoulder and waist. Lara could feel the terror come over her as he fell on top of her fighting for control of the weapon. His body weight was crushing her, Lara was gasping trying to point the weapon at him while he was doing the exact opposite in a 15 seconds battle that Lara would never forget as the pistol when off a third time between the two of them. Lara felt something hot and liquid splatter on her face as the Russian fell way with a gurgling scream.

Lara rolled away and rose to her feet and pointed the gun at the Russian on the ground still. Lara still pointing the gun at the Russian watched only to see him lay there gasping huge breaths of air. She stared in absolute horror, the man's right eye and a good chunk of its head were gone, he lay there twitching, gasping as his life drained out of him.

It was really only a few seconds, but they felt like an hour to Lara. She didn't feel guilty, this man was an absolute monster who had been trying to rape and murder her. Yet, her mind wouldn't let go the simple thought. He was still human, and he had died by her hand. She had watched the life slowly drain from him. Lara just felt the bile rising in her throat she realized that while the feeling of killing a deer had been terrible, it paled in comparison to killing a human. Even a monster like this Russian had been. A day before had been so difficult for her in killing a stupid deer but now after experiencing the horror of taking another human life, Lara felt like vomiting. Only, she had nothing to vomit up. Sure this human was much, much more evil than that deer had been but it was still so strange to watch the life leave him. It had been so personal, and it was going to haunt her for the rest of her life. She knew it. One doesn't simply come back from this point. She was beginning to understand Alex just a little more.

She didn't feel sorry, but she really didn't feel sorry at all about killing the Russian. Because this man had been trying to rape her and kill her friends and her colleagues. Still, that didn't really console her. Lara was too kind hearted of a person, to innocent to simply brush aside such a lifechanging encounter. Lara fell to her knees as she continued looking at the corpse her breath coming in gasps as she stared and couldn't believe that she had survived.

She could feel her breathing coming ever more erratically, she could feel the difficulty and she felt as she pressed her head in her hands as she tried to regain her composure. Only instead of composure it got worse. She felt this sticky wet substance and looking at her hands in confusion she saw that her hands were covered in blood and something. She stared at them for a while she had an awful flashback to her father. Pain radiated through her as she looked on in horror at her blood-stained hands. 'I have his blood on my face… I have his blood on my FACE!' Lara grabbed and ripped part of the dead man's shirt off him as she scrubbed hard at her face, willing the offending and horrible substance off her. Lara realized that she was starting to go into shock. 'This is how far you can go into the darkness. Just give in to it. It will be easier if you do. You can save your friends… you can save Alex.' Lara could feel the thought running through her mind. Lara forced it mentally away, she didn't have the time or patience at the moment to fight or contemplate these thoughts. Yet, they persisted. 'The hunters aren't really human, killing them, it like killing rats, not even real people. Nothing to feel sorry about.'

Getting up she walked over and grabbed her bow and arrows that the man had been carrying ever since he had captured her. Attaching them back on, Lara looked around. Nothing had really changed, but nothing really was ever going to be the same again. She could still hear the screams and laughter. The gunfire further up her path. Yet, now….

Lara no longer felt like the prey, she realized as she notched an arrow to her bow, she had left the prey and had joined the hunters… 'I'm going to kill all of these bastards.'


The world seemed to sway in a rhythmic fashion. To and fro, to and fro. In any other situation, it would almost seem peaceful, relaxing. Of course, that's in another situation. Reality was not peaceful…

'I sure wish it was… anything would be better than this right now.'

"Where are your friends? We know you have friends still in the forest. Where?" The voice was decidedly German. 'Can't get any more stereotypical than that, a German interrogator. Must have been type casted.'

"Ah, go to hell!" The world rocked again violently as Alex moved around like a wreaking ball. Of course though, with a sharp pain where his ribs were. This, interrogation, had been going on for over a half hour. At this rate, with how bad his head was throbbing he was not sure even if he wanted to tell the man anything if it would be very logical or coherent.

Dutch, as Alex effectually had named his beefy interrogator, was getting really frustrated. Over the last half hour, he had gotten two answers. First, "I don't know." Second, "Go to hell!". Not his best work at all. Still, Father Mathias wanted answers… so Father Mathias was going to get answers. So, he had kept beating the man up over and over again.

Alex rocked back and forth until Dutch abruptly stopped him. Before he could say anything, Alex piped up. "Hey Dutch, you know you get when you combine a Merman with a Pathogen?"

The giant of a man stared befuddled at the American, after a few moments he replied begrudgingly, "What?"

Chuckling through the intense pain, Alex answered, "A germ-man."

Dead silence reigned as Alex hung there… one minute… two minutes… finally, Dutch chuckled. "You are a brave stupid American." He shrugged his massive shoulders as he shook his head. "I kill you with one punch yet you make stupid jokes… You want me to kill you?"

Alex grinned back at the mountain of a man, "Nah, not really. You could let me go, but then Father Mathias would be angry… Which is not good for either of us."

Dutch bent down and looked the dangling Alex in the eye. "Honestly, I don't want to kill you. I just need information. Give me that, I let you down. We drink and you tell more stupid jokes. Deal?"

"You know I can't do that Dutch… You know I can't…"

Regret and a flicker of sadness went over Dutch's face. He straightened his shoulders and sent another punch into Alex's ribs. His voice was detached and bored, "Where are your friends?"

"See you in hell!" Dutch stopped instantly, recognition in his eyes and a big grin on his face. "Star Wars da? Han Solo?!"

Groaning, as he swayed back and forth, "Yep… Han Solo… Star Wars… Episode 5."

"Good movies those Star Wars. Classics, not like shit movies nowadays."

Alex squinted through the pain and his headache, "How long have you been on this Island Dutch?"

Sitting down next to Alex's head the big man pondered. "Been on this damn island seven years now. It 2011 da?"

Pity started to well up in Alex as he looked Dutch up and down. "Sorry big guy, its been nine years, its 2013."

"Nine years…" For the first time since they had met for interrogation there was some real emotion. Alex could see it; sorrow. "I've been stuck on this fucking island for nine years…" The big man started to weep. His huge shoulders slumped down, totally broken.

Alex just stared in wonder and empathy, 'Damn! Nine years is a long time to be stuck with crazy psychos in a crazy ass cult.' He looked over at Dutch. "I'm sorry man, that's a really long time."

"I had family," Dutch pulled out a wallet with a picture, the picture was of a younger Dutch holding two small boys hands as they were walking down a city street. Dutch pointed at his picture at the older boy, "This is my Aurick, he is the pride of my life. He would be seventeen now. And this," gesturing at the other child, "is Lukas. He was always close to his mother. He would be… fourteen…" Dutch started to cry again. Alex could feel the pain radiating from the man. So many years lost, so many memories that would never be formed.

"No matter how many times we have tried to get off this island, a storm comes and blows us back or kills us. So many have died trying to leave. Damn island won't let us leave."

Just listening, Alex nodded along with Dutch. The storms were certainly unnatural.

"Mathias has been here the longest. He thinks we can appease the island spirit so that we can leave. That's why he sacrifices all these girls. If he finds the right one then we will be free to leave."

Alex's head jerked up. 'that's why he sacrifices all these girls?! That can't be right.' The confusion started entering his mind as he started to ponder the implications. "Hold on Dutch, what do you mean 'he sacrifices all these girls.'?"

"Father Mathias burns them at the stake for Sun Queen. Some type of shit like that."

"What? Are you serious?" Alex could feel this horror starting to creep over him.

"Oh yeah, its really awful." Dutch looked over at Alex. "We do it so that maybe, someday, we will be able to go home. Hasn't worked so far."

"Dutch, you know that's not cool. Like, you are murdering people for a religion that's not real."

"But what if it works? Then I can see my family again."

"Maybe, but they won't see you. They will see the monster that this island created. That you willingly let it create."

"You haven't been here for nine years boy!" Dutch leapt to his feet yelling full force. "Once you have been you can dare lecture me."

"You are already lecturing yourself! You know its wrong."

Dutch turned around and rammed his fist into Alex's gut. Alex felt the air leave him as he just kept gasping for breath around the intense pain. Dutch just looked at him and started to walk up the stairs. "I need to think."

'I'll be hanging…' Alex thought to himself as he desperately tried to regain his breath. He closed his eyes as he recalled the upmost importance was finding Sam. 'Especially if she is going to be sacrificed to Himiko.'


Lara looked through the quiet empty village. She had done it. She had killed every single person she could find. It was rather easy to do it, not to mention she felt absolutely no guilt. These people had tried to kill her and her friends. These weren't innocent people running around defenseless, she was hunting and killing more dangerous prey. They were very awful monsters that walked around in the guise of humans, Lara thought back to the darkness, sure she was still a semi darkness here in physical aspects but the darkness that surround as her was more metaphorical in sense. This was much worse she could still hear the screams and cries she could hear the laughter in the gunfire going all around her as she was realizing she was still seeing the people she had… executed. She had seen just how far she could go, how far she into the darkness to purge it. They really weren't human anymore, they were just beasts.

Lara continued on working her way further up the cliff in the village, she was determined to find Roth. She also, needed to find Alex. She knew it was impractical, however Lara could feel in her heart that she wouldn't really be at peace until she found his body. Ever since she was a kid who had found her own father by herself, she needed to see the body to have closure. To be able to close this chapter of her life. So she had gone from building to building trying to find him, 'For all I know he could be behind me further down where he was giving me time to get away not much good that did me though.' She shook her head as her mental psyche seems to mock her little bit, her psyche though seem too still be supportive of Alex. Though since she started cleansing the village her mind had stopped talking with her. If it brought anything to her mind it was that Alex must be alive and to find him. Lara thought it was strange that her psyche was so upset. It was determined to believe that he was alive though she and in her more realistic moments Lara knew it was no way Alex was alive and if he was he probably was better off that way.

Lara shoved those thoughts aside as she continued on the wood dark issues or to dealing with enough darkness around her to that I'm necessarily dark and grim thoughts to control her mind. So Lara moved on she encountered a couple people. It didn't take long before they were just two more corpses, never again to be a threat to anyone. 'Really they are not much better than animals. Killing the weak and helpless. They deserve a much slower death than I can give them. There are only two types, Prey and Predators, now the role is reversed. And they really don't like me as the predator.' As she checked the bodies she looked up to see ahead of her a giant of a man pacing back and forth as he talked with himself…

She didn't have a good shot and with how big the man was it would have to be a perfect shot to take him down. Lara listen, the man was talking to himself about Alex, but he was debating something about right and wrong and what needed to be done. Lara could feel something whole and warm stir up inside of her, Alex was potentially alive. Lara knew that she needed to go find him and there was nothing absolutely nothing that was going to stop her from getting him out of the situation that he had put himself into keep her from harm, nothing had really worked but like many things it's the thought that counts.

Lara realized that to get to Alex she would have to kill that man, for some reason, the idea bothered her more. Sure she had killed around ten other people getting here, but something was nipping at her mind. She shoved it away though, Lara was a survivor she survived growing up without her parents. She had survived the difficulties of rejecting her heritage. She had survived so many things alongside Roth, Grim and now Alex that helped her in continuing to survive. And now it was her turn to help the others survive Lara pulled out two arrows and she placed one up right in the dirt that was right next to her and she aimed at the giant.

The arrow flew from the bow with deadly accuracy, but the man moved at the last minute and the arrow instead of landing for the kill in the man's heart, it hit his shoulder. Lara quickly tried to reload but the man jumped inside the building. 'Shit!'

Lara quickly and carefully moved toward the building. If Alex was in there she would need to be careful. The man might try to use him as a hostage or just straight out kill him. There was the quandary, speed or caution. Lara choose speed.

'I need to find Alex.' she thought. And so she moved into the building checking her corners and in general cursing the poorness of a bow at close quarters.

Lara approached a wall that was actually a balcony railing she looked down into what was an open room and in the room chained, hanging up by his feet almost like a punching back was Alex. The giant of a man was behind him untethering Alex's legs. 'Most likely to drag him off so that he can't be rescued.' Lara thought grimly. 'Well, that is just not going to happen.'

However, it didn't make sense what the giant man was doing. He had lifted Alex up from being upside down and was undoing the chain. While he whispered something to Alex.

Lara knew something was wrong. Every time see had seen Alex before she had been excited. Now… she didn't, she felt nervous and not the good kind. She wasn't sure what was wrong. She did look at Alex and she felt angry. He looked awful, his face didn't look good and had a dark angry red mark at his temple. He was leaning heavily on the big man's arm which was covered in tattoos.

Dropping down Lara drew back her bow and aimed at the man. If he thought he could hid behind Alex then the joke was on him. But before she could let it loose, Alex looked over and wearily smiled at Lara.

Alex was staring at her as if she was a ghost, 'I probably do look at little bit like one right now.' At least Lara had to think that to herself. But he looked terrible. From the blows that he had taken she knew that he was going to be extremely sore. 'He probably might even have a broken rib as well.' She knew that her first objective was to get him away quickly from the giant behind and to his side. He just looked at her though and grinned, though it was painful.

"Well there LC, I can't believe that you would have come all the way down here for me. I thought you I told you to run? Don't get me wrong I'm eternally grateful that you showed up. Your impeccable timing saved my life. I owe you one."

Alex turned and nodded at the man next to him who still had Lara's arrow in his shoulder, but was acting like it was no big deal. "This is Dutch, not sure what his real name is though." Alex's brow wrinkled in concentration. "While I don't know if we are on the friends level yet, we might get there. I own him my life. He could have killed me before you ever showed up."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Lara rebutted, "He is a hunter, he's got to die. He's one of them."

Alex took a step toward her but noticed that the bow was more aimed at him now than at Dutch. "Who is 'them' Lara?" The way Alex asked it was so gentle and yet it was still direct. Lara got the message, 'Lara, don't give any bullshit.'

"A monster, a hunter, a killer, an animal." Lara could feel the conviction in her voice, but she was watching Alex. 'He's really hurt. Standing must be really painful.'

Alex just shook his head though as he placed himself squarely between Lara and Dutch; effectively making himself a human shield. "Well, Lara you're wrong. Dutch isn't some monstrosity or animal. He's like us. Human. He has two boys that he hasn't seen for over nine years."

"Alex, you don't know what you are talking about. Do you have any idea what was going on out there?" Lara was incredulous, how could Alex dare defend them.

"What Lara? The screaming? The gunfire? The torture? Being strung up by my feet while being used as a punching bag?" He turned looking at Dutch, "No hard feelings by the way. I understand, but it hurts like hell."

"Da, thanks, sorry." The big man replied, lowering his head not being able to look at them.

"You seriously can't defend them! They aren't even human!" Lara could feel this coldness rising in her. She could hear the whisper in her mind. 'He doesn't understand, he's not one of us. He's not willing to do what it takes. He'll weigh you down. Cut the slack… get rid of him.' Lara pulled back the string and focused on Alex again. Brown eyes stared down Sapphire. No matter what though, Lara didn't expect Alex's response.

"How dare you! Lara, listen to yourself! They are just like us. Survivors, they are humans just like us and don't you dare take that away from them. It only dehumanizes yourself. We need to be better than that. They see us as prey, I see them as humans. Desperate to try to live. Look at Dutch! He has done terrible things to survive. Witnessed the darkness of the human soul, but Lara it is the human soul! Not an animal."

Before she could respond or do anything Alex had hobbled over and pushed her bow down and away. "We need to be better and witnessing the darkness of others, we can't allow ourselves to fall down the rabbit hole with them. I don't know what happened to you when we separated but please… please don't lose yourself. Don't stop being Lara Croft." There were tears in Alex's eyes as he cupped her face in his worn callused hands. He was searching her eyes and Lara could feel a coldness inside her started to melt. And with that melting came the tears, the tears she would shed as she killed all the men in the village and the surviving the attempted rape.

Alex wrapped his arms around her and just held on. He didn't say anything, just murmured comfort to her as she dropped the bow and clung to him. Sobs racked her body as the horror of the last forty-five minutes washed through her. Alex had been right, she needed to let it out. To grieve and humanize the terribleness.

The deep German voice broke into her moment, causing her to look over Alex's shoulder. "Be gentle with him. I tuned him up badly." While Lara felt the coldness wanting to return and kill this hulking giant she felt Alex chuckled and then groaned causing Lara to look back at him.

"It's okay Dutch. You were just doing your job and thankfully we were able to talk it out."

Lara stared at them. 'Talk it out? Well, if anyone was going to talk a Hunter out of being a suicidal maniac with a taste for blood it would be Alex.'

"Da, you and your bad jokes."

"Thank you for not killing me."

The big man stepped forward flipping the pistol in his hand to Alex. "It's yours. I want to help. I can't see another girl burn for nothing." He looked down staring at his shoes and then back at the two of them still holding each other. "I might never see my boys and wife again. But, I can't allow your friend to die for nothing."

Lara could feel so many questions but she saw Alex glance which was a quiet, 'Tell you later'. Alex looked at Dutch and asked. "How do you think you could help up Dutch? I don't want you to die for nothing."

The man chuckled, its deep rumble sounded jollier then terrifying to Lara. At least now. Before? She would have killed him immediately. "First Alex, I owe you for using you as a punching bag. Second, I am on the inside. I'll find her while you find your friends. That way I can let you know where to strike to get her out. You've got maybe a day or two before Mathias would try the Rite."

Alex unwrapped his right hand from around Lara and took the pistol and then shook the giants hand. "Deal, take my com with you. Channel 5, that would be the best way to reach me."

The big man grinned and started walking off. Before he exited the room he turned. Looking at Lara he spoke. "Don't throw away the good thing you have girl. Take it from a man who's lost the best things for nine years." He gruffly cleared his throat and giving one last nod to Alex he left.

Lara started laughing she could believe after all the shit they had just gone through she and Alex were back together. Lara smiled at him as he tried to ignore all his injuries and tighten his hold on her. "I thought that you would not need to have any rescue," Lara felt her eyebrow rise as she continued. "I remember you saying 'I'll be right behind you'. However, you never followed. You scared me half to death."

Alex shrugged then winced in pain, "What can I say Lara, I wanted to give you a head start. I thought that was the best way I could guarantee you would be safe. I hope you don't hold it against me." He ended with a grin.

Smiling, Lara just looked at him. "I don't know, I feel like I should hold it against you were a little longer. I don't know why you thought it would be okay to leave me alone in this fucking forest on this fucking island."

"Well, I was hoping that you would survive like you have so far. Lara, I was hoping that you would be lucky enough to get away and to continue on since I had given you a head start. What you think I was trying to do?" Alex looked at her quizzically. "I was trying to save you and there was no other way that I think of that would allow you to get away from them."

Lara was quiet for a while as she tried to find peace amongst the waring emotions. She so desperately wanted to be angry with Alex, because it was such a foolish thing to do. However, she couldn't fault him with the desire that he had to save her. Like for the entire time that they had been together on the island, Alex had only done what he thought was best. 'Still, I'll be damned if I am not furious with him right now. It's the delicate balance of angry and relieved.'

She shook her head. Alex and her were always going to try to save each other. No use being angry about it. Dutch's words rang in her mind. 'Don't throw away the good thing you have girl. Take it from a man who's lost the best things for nine years.' She looked at the battered man in front of her. Suddenly, her psyche that had been so absent from since her killing spree spoke up again. 'Tell him how you feel you idiot! Dutch gave you the perfect opening!' Lara cleared her throat as she felt the nerves hitting her again. She knew she had a lot to work through and there was no one she wanted more at her side then Alex. Just as she was about to open her mouth, Alex pulled away.

He moved over to his backpack where Dutch had left it. Still with all of his stuff. He slowly pulled it on and held out his hand to Lara. "Come on… Lets go find Roth."


Authors Notes:

Dear Friends, I generally don't do these but I thought that I should let you know why this chapter was so dark. In my playthrough of Tomb Raider 2013, I was jarred so much by how deeply effected Lara was in her first killing. Then miraculously, she gets over it and becomes a killing machine. To the point were she starts yelling things like "I'm going to kill all you bastards." I didn't want this entire story to have Lara as a psychopath. My final kill count in the game was over 500 enemies. And in the end, she is royally messed up mentally. I wanted to fight that here, in the beginning by focusing on the fact that while there people are terrible murderous bastards, they are still human. They are still people. And Alex is there to help her balance this. Remember, when he first killed he took the time to show respect for the corpses of the men that tried to kill him. This is one of the reasons why I made Dutch. As I was writing this chapter I was just getting miserable. It was so dark and I couldn't figure out how to make it not… "go shoot yourself because you are a terrible person". So, I came up with Dutch. Also, he will be very useful for this story further on.

Please Read and Review: You guys inspire me.