Author's note: Sisterly Love has been completely reloaded and edited a little for content. For the compete, uncut version, check out my homepage http://mine.at/thelair or http://mine.at/mblow0t5 Enjoy!

***

Hillary looked up from the silver tea kettle he was polishing when he heard the doorbell ring. Setting the tea kettle down and tossing the damp rag onto the table, he walked over to the door and opened it.

Alex West was standing outside, glancing around the grounds. When he say Hillary standing at the door he muttered a quick; "Is Tristen here?"

"No, I'm afraid she's still at work, Mr. West. She should be home shortly, though."

"That's good. I need to talk to Lara." Alex walked inside, pushing past Hillary. "Where is she?"

"I believe she's in her room. But let me announce you first." But by the time Hillary finished his sentence, Alex was already halfway up the stairs. "Er. . . Never mind. . ." He murmured to himself. Then went back to polishing.

Alex gently knocked on Lara's bedroom door and didn't wait for a response before he entered the room. Lara was stretched out on her tiger print patterned chaise lounge. She was reading from a very thick novel. Lara lifted her head when she heard the door open.

"Alex? What are you doing here?" Lara asked, setting the book down. "Tristen won't be home for another few minutes."

"I don't want to talk to Tristen." Alex said, plainly. "I'm breaking up with her today."

Lara sighed. "I knew this was going to happen."

"Yeah, well, let's not cry about it. You're the one I want, anyways."

"I beg your pardon?" Lara asked, raising her eyebrow. She knew Alex could be crass, but she didn't think that he was rude enough to break up with her half sister then ask her out ten seconds later.

"You heard what I said." Alex murmured. "So, how about it?"

"Alex," Lara said, shocked by his forwardness and not entirely sure what to say to him. "I can't date you in front of Tristen."

"Well, we can keep it secret." Alex said, sitting down on the floor beside her chair and stroking her leg.

"No, no we won't." Lara said, removing his hand. "The answer is; no, Alex."

"Why not?" Alex asked, as if he had been expecting her to say that.

"I can't even begin to tell you the reasons." Lara answered, honestly. "And if you don't mind, Tristen will be home soon, so you can wait for her downstairs."

"Come on, Lara, don't be like this." Alex murmured, kissing the inside of her thigh. Lara slapped him.

"Get off and get out of my room." Lara snapped. "God, you can be such a prat at times."

Just then the door swung open and Tristen walked in, waving around a piece of paper. "Look, Lara! I got my first paycheck! Let's go out for dinner!" She raced over to Lara's chair. "Oh, hi Alex. Were we supposed to go out tonight?"

"No, we weren't planning on it. But let's go out and celebrate your new job." Alex said, giving her a fake smile.

"Really?" Tristen asked, blinking. "But last week you said my job was-"

"Well, let's not worry about what I said. Come on, let's go." Alex said, standing up and taking Tristen's arm.

"Wait, Lara has to come to." Tristen said. "I mean, she got me this job and everything. Want to come, Lara?"

"Well, I haven't eaten yet." Lara said, wondering why Tristen would invite her to tag along on her date. "Let's go freshen up. Alex, I'm sure you can wait downstairs." Lara told him curtly, then she and Tristen both walked through the adjoining door to Tristen's room. Lara quietly shut the door after them.

"Why did you invite me to go with you?" Lara asked, as Tristen sat down at her vanity and got out her make up kit from the top drawer. She had only applied foundation today.

"Well, to be truthful, I don't want to be alone with Alex."

"Why not?" Lara asked as Tristen snapped open a compact of eye shadow and began to apply some silver powder to her eyelids.

"I don't know." Tristen said, shrugging. "I just don't feel comfortable with him."

"Ah."

"Well, if you really want to know, I was doing a lot of thinking today and Alex isn't someone that I want to be with anymore and in fact, I never should have been with him in the first place. I need someone who actually gives a damn about more than himself and how many times he's getting laid in the next week. I mean, he's never been kind to me, he's never been sweet or understanding. Nothing. Let's face facts. Alex West is a jerk. Now that I figured that out, it just seems awkward to be with him. But I'm going to break up with him tonight, though. No reason to drag it on."

"Hmm, I thought you would be a bit more upset about your break up." Lara said, honestly.

"No. I mean, I could never be satisfied with him." Tristen shrugged.

"Well, as long as you're happy." Lara shrugged. "Besides, he started hitting on me. So there's a sure sign that he's the lowest-"

"He did what?!" Tristen practically shouted, throwing down the compact. It fell to the floor, unnoticed.

"I thought you didn't care."

"He was hitting on you?!"

"Yes."

"That, little asshole." Tristen got up from the vanity and stormed downstairs, slamming the door after her. Lara sunk into the chair at the vanity. The next thing Lara heard was Tristen's unrecognizable screams, shortly after, Alex began shouting as well. Lara buried her face in her hands.

***

Lara looked up when she heard the sound of a door slamming. She figured that it was Alex leaving and manor and slowly got to her feet. Lara pushed the door to Tristen's room open and looked out over the railing from the upstairs. Tristen was standing in the middle of the living room in a shocked silence. Tears were streaming down her face, her eye make up ran in dirty streaks to her chin. Lara quietly descended the stairs. She approached her sister and gently wrapped her arm around Tristen's shoulders.

"It's alright, Tristen. He's not worth it anyways." Lara said, softly.

"You don't get it, do you?" Tristen asked, sniffling and using a hand to wipe her tears away.

"Don't get what?" Lara asked, taking a tissue from her pocket and gently dapping at Tristen's tears and running make-up.

Tristen shoved Lara away and glared at her. "You don't get it!" Tristen shouted. "He didn't want me, he wanted you! Everyone wants you! No one cares who the hell I am because you're there!"

"Tristen, calm down-" Lara began.

"Calm down!? No, I won't calm down! Because no matter how good I do something or how much I accomplish you are always going be one step ahead of me! No one is ever going to want me because you're there! I hate you, Lara Croft, I hate you!!!!!" Tristen thundered.

Before Lara could stop her, Tristen grabbed her purse and ran from the house. Lara didn't bother to go after her. Even if she did catch up to her, what was she supposed to say? Lara sunk into the love seat and angrily punched a pillow.

Hm, doesn't have the same feeling when you punch a man in the face. Lara observed. Hillary walked into the living room and gently set a tray down on the end table beside the couch, then glanced at Lara.

"Would you like a spot of tea." Hillary asked.

"Certainly." Lara said, sitting back.