Lara was driving back as fast as she could. After a while though she was overcome by endless fatigue. As her adrenaline level was falling, she began to feel more and more exhausted. It was as though she would have been completely drained of energy. She felt that she could not continue to drive any minute longer. Now that they had obtained the stone, she felt a strange emptiness within, as if there had been no more objectives. She did not know what she would do with the locket now, she did not know what she would do next. But she did not want to think about this now, she really terribly needed a rest. Without a word she turned to an access road, which led to an inn. The Aston Martin had stopped behind the building.

"I need to get some sleep, I do not think that I could drive to London now." - she said to Simon getting out of the car. Simon followed her in silence. He was not at all against a break. Slowly he felt like being in a completely different time zone that they were awake at night and slept only a few hours during the day. At least in the meantime he did not have to think about it that the adventure was over and their ways would most probably separate.

The man let Lara into the room, and then he entered. The room was furnished the usual way, a double bed, two chairs, a small bathroom. Lara did not want anything but a hot shower. She felt tired and dirty. Immediately she went to the bathroom shutting the door behind her. Simon heard outside that the water started to run in the shower. Lara raised her face against the water-jet, and just let the water run down on her body. She felt like renewed, her mind was clearing, the tension resolved in her muscles. After drying herself she wrapped a towel around her body and went back to the room. As she saw Simon with the medallion in his hand, she stopped and leaned against the door frame. She did not really understand why but some sort of anger overwhelmed her.

"What are your plans now that we have found what we were looking for?" - Simon heard the woman suddenly. Her voice sounded somewhat brusquely.

"What do you mean?" – he looked up with the glittering gem in his hand.

"Do not tell me you made no thoughts about this. You must have a reason to be in this. "- she still could not escape the thought that Simon evaded her and wanted to get the medallion for himself. It was time to find out what was going on.

"I do not understand what you mean. I was just as interested in solving the puzzle as you were." - Simon did not understand what suddenly came upon Lara. She sounded threatening.

"I am sure that your government is keen on getting something like this. Can you imagine the impact on politics if this thing really works? Is this why they sent you after me?" – she approached the man while making herself more and more angry.

"No one sent me after you. Why are you telling me this now? Did I do something wrong?" - Simon asked with a surprised expression on his face.

"You tell me."

"I do not know what your problem is but I do not like it." - now he began to become angry as well.

"Then tell me why you are here!" - Lara snarled at him with an expression on her face, which Simon had never seen before. Simon did not say anything. "I want to know" - she pushed the matter further. Simon slowly turned away from her and returned the ruby in the woman's bag. This movement made Lara even angrier that the man simply showed his back and completely ignored her. To get his attention she wanted to grab his shoulder but Simon expected this and caught her hand in the air. He turned back towards her while holding her wrist firmly. Rigidly staring at each other Lara's eyes narrowed. All their nerves tensed in this silent battle. Simon felt how her fist clenched as she tried to pull her hand away but he held her tight.

"If you want to know so much, I am here because I have never met such an amazing woman like you." - Simon finally answered almost in a whisper. His voice was rough, angry, that she forced him to admit this, and at the same time as wild as his emotions. Lara was completely surprised by his confession, only gazed at him. The air was standing still, only their accelerated breaths could be heard. Simon could not bear the tension anymore, pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. Lara gave up all resistance, put all her anger, frustration and desire into the kiss. Simon wanted her ever since he saw her at the party. Since then this feeling only strengthened in him as he got to know her better. She represented everything that had ever attracted him to a woman, she was strong, smart, independent and beautiful. Now that he held her in his arms, he could not get enough of her, wanted to feel her, to taste her, to breathe her in. Lara pulled his shirt open, the little buttons were flying all over the room, and then pushed it down his shoulders. Her hands ran over his chest, and then wrapped around his neck, while they only broke the kiss to take a breath. Backing a few steps Simon pushed Lara onto the bed. He leaned over her holding his weight on one arms, while the other caressed her running up on her thigh. Lara pulled him in again kissing him fiercely. Simon would have never thought that she could be so demanding and passionate. Her fingers scratched over the man's back, then brushed through his hair. She felt the man's weight against her hip, as his body clung to hers. Tipping her head back she closed her eyes. Simon kissed his way down her neck, sometimes biting into the soft skin, causing voluptuously sighs coming from her. Pushing the towel off from her he traced the shape of her body with his lips, circling his tongue around her navel. As he kissed her mouth again he felt her lithe body under his, his chest touched her bare skin, which aroused him even more. His hand explored every inch of the woman's body. The scent that filled everything around her drove him crazy. He knew that he should have given her more time, but he wanted everything and immediately. He looked into her brown eyes shining with passion and saw his own desire reflected in them. They both wanted the same and he could not wait any longer. Simon had never felt such overwhelming pleasure as when they became one. Lara arched her body into him as the fulfilment came closer. She never felt so close to anyone before. Together they climbed unimaginable heights before both of them fell back to the bed exhausted.

"That is what I call relaxation." - Lara laughed while the pleasant tiredness ran through her that she had not felt for a very long time.

Simon turned to her and stroked her cheek with his finger.

"You are incredible." - he said, smiling. Lara kissed him in answer. Not much later, they fell asleep side by side.

A little later, Lara opened her eyes, lying next to Simon. For the first time in a long while she felt relaxed and happy. Like on a desert island where no one and nothing else mattered. She watched the man as he slept until Simon woke up as well. He looked back at her, half asleep, smiling.

"What are you thinking about?" - he asked her.

"That I do not want to leave." - the woman replied. In the meantime she realised that she really meant it.

"That makes things easier because I do not let you go anyway." – said Simon with a grin on his face pulling her closer.

"Good to know." - Lara whispered while kissing him.

"I wanted you from the first second I saw you at the party." - he admitted, while his fingers caressed her shoulders, going down on her arms.

"So it was not true that you only wanted to help me with that cream." - Lara joked with him.

"Touché." - Simon laughed. "But let me check if it was really helping you."

His fingers stroked the little scratches and spots, which still could be seen on the woman's body. First on the shoulder, down to her flat belly where the bruise was still visible. Lara was watching him with joy, then stopped his hand on her hip. Simon looked up, Lara needed nothing to say. This time they did not rush, enjoying every inch of each other, every second they spent together. The wild desire gave its place over to long voluptuous pleasure.

When Simon opened his eyes hours could have passed by, it was completely dark outside. Lara lay beside her on the stomach, facing the opposite direction. He just watched for a while, how fine and silky her skin was. He did not want to wake her. He knew that sooner or later they must leave this room but he was not yet ready to do so. The night was still long and he wanted to enjoy every minute of it. Simon almost could not even believe that Lara was lying beside him, that not too long ago he took possession of the warmth of her body like never of anyone else's before. He did not know what will happen later, but did not want to think about it now. Only that moment counted.

As Lara moved a stray lock of hair fell into her face. Simon reached over, and gently stroked it behind her ear. Barely perceptibly he ran his fingers over her neck. Suddenly something strange caught his attention. He noticed a small cut under her hairline, which he never realised before. It felt somehow weird. Just at the moment he leaned over to take a closer look, a huge crash broke the silence. The windows broke, pieces of broken glass were flying everywhere, and two men jumped into the room pointing guns on them. Lara immediately woke up, but they could do nothing. Completely vulnerable they were waiting to see what happens. For a seemingly endless minute nobody moved but the wind blew the curtains through the open window. The men wore masks, but as Lara looked in their eyes, she was sure that one was the same who shot Lord Crestley. The murderer was still pointing a gun at them, while the other began to search through the table. In such a situation it had not been a large effort to keep the couple at bay, they were caught in the most delicate situation possible. Lara felt that the masked man was staring at her as the thin bed-sheet outlined the silhouette of her naked body. The other had found the woman's bagpack, after a quick glance into it he nodded. They both backed away towards the window, and then just as fast as they appeared, they disappeared again taking Lara's bag with them, with the medallion in it.

"Damn it." - Lara leapt out of bed and put on Simon's shirt that was lying on the floor where they left it. But she could do nothing, the enemies disappeared into the darkness. "How the hell did they find us again?" - she was furious. She could not believe that they lost the stone after all they went through for it.

"I think I know the answer." - Simon said. Lara looked at him inquiringly. "I just found something on you before they broke in. I think they planted a tracer under your skin when they shot you with the bike. That is why they never really tried to follow us or attack us. They always knew where we were. This is why they did not kill you after all. They just wanted you to find the amulet and then steal it from us." Lara looked confused. "The scar is under your hairline on the left side."

She run her finger over her neck and felt it.

"You need to cut it out. I cannot believe I did not realise it."

"It is not your fault. You could not have thought of this. Give me your knife." Lara reached down to her boots lying on the floor and took out her pocket knife. Simon put on his jeans and left the room. Within five minutes he was back.

"I had to disinfect it." he explained to her. Lara turned around and moved her hair away from her neck. Not wanting to hurt her more than necessary Simon acted quickly. Fortunately the tracer was not really deep, he only had to scratch her skin to get it out. A thin line of blood run down on her neck, he dried it up with a towel. Then he put a patch on the cut.

"Done, better than new."

Lara was furious, immediately wanted to throw away the transmitter, but then she changed her mind. It may even be good for something. Let them think that they had not yet discovered it. She had not given up on finding the medallion, but at the moment she had no idea where to begin. In the meantime it could be anywhere. Looking desperate she sank down on a chair. Suddenly Simon remembered something.

"I think there's a pretty good chance that we can track them."

"What do you mean?" - looked up Lara at him with little hope in her eyes.

"Tell me your PDA was in your bag."

"This does not make me feel better in any way." - she did not understand first what he meant.

"Remember how I found you after the bike accident?" - Simon looked at her confidently.

"Right, the tracer! Is it still in my PDA?" Lara got more and more excited. This would be a real chance, assuming they did not just throw away her bag on the first corner.

"I never got it out, so it must be. All we need now is a tracker. "

Lara immediately wanted to start their journey, but Simon convinced her that there would be no point. Till the morning there was no chance to get a tracker from anywhere, and until then it would be superfluous to go in one direction, which may be completely wrong. Lara was impatient and nervous, but finally agreed that Simon was right. He did not really know how to behave with her in this situation. He wanted to comfort her, but was not sure that Lara would not misunderstand it. Somehow he had to try to get her to sleep, the next morning she would need the energy. He stepped up and knelt in front of the chair on which she was sitting.

"Try to sleep a bit, you'll need it. Tomorrow we go after them. "

"Now you are seriously telling me that I should sleep? Do you think I could do this? – she was nervous, her voice was harsher then she originally wanted it to be. Lara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I am sorry. I do not want to take it out on you." – she apologised.

"It is okay, I understand." – he tried to cheer her up a bit but it was quite an impossible undertaking. "Do not give up now, you are better than they. Come to bed." – he took her hand and pulled her towards the bed. Lara finally gave in and followed him. Simon lay on his side and Lara snuggled against him. He put his arm around her and held her close without saying anything.