Alex West shot a three pointer and it sunk, nothing but the swish of a net.
His shirt was off and he had obviously been working hard sweat beaded his
chest. Although he was near forty he was in fair shape, having to be for
the line of work he was in. A mop of sandy hair masked his eyes blue as
sapphire.
A shadow moved across the floor and Alex glanced over his shoulder. Kaitlin Croft stood thee sunglasses over her eyes. "Glad you could make it," Alex smiled. "If my mother won't show me I figure I'd have to settle for you," she smirked.
"Ah yes I always was second in compare to her," Alex laughed picking up his shirt.
Alex swung with the padded stick and it connected with the back of Kaitlin's legs, she toppled over onto the mat. "Owww." Kaitlin growled.
"You have to know where I am hitting next, you kind of guess and then act," Alex smirked leaning on his stick.
"I'm not psychic."Kaitlin climbed back onto the raised platform and swung at him. Alex barely had time to block her shot, but got it and swung back.
The duel went on for quite some time until Alex could tell she was getting tired. Alex swung and she blocked then he jabbed knocking her back to the mat-.
"Much better," Alex hopped down.
"What are you talking about? I'm still on the bloody floor." Kaitlin rolled her eyes.
"Don't expect to be the best the first few times," Alex offered her a hand and helped her up. "Now let's see how well you shoot," Alex smiled and led his apprentice to the indoor shooting range.
For the next few weeks Kaitlin was constantly absent from the Croft Manor, Lara never getting an answer to where she went. Both of them hated the silence between them, they had always had a very open and closer conversation, Kaitlin knew that even though her mother may seem insensitive to others that Kaitlin could tell her anything.
Lara sat in a small coffee shop watching the rain hit the paved streets bustling with taxis and busses. She sighed and stood, realizing she had spent way too much time staring at her cup rather than drinking from it. She laid a 5 pound note on the table and sliding her jacket on walked out to the parking lot. Someone stood by her E-700 Mercedes, no expression on his face. His emerald eyes lit up as the rain poured down on him sopping him from head to foot.
"I think I have something to help you with those scrolls," Lupin tossed her a small silver object.
Lara caught it and opened her palm staring down at the ring. It was engraved with symbols and flames. Atop it was a large emerald that, even in the nebulous conditions outside shone with perfection. "What is it?" Lara raised an eyebrow a smirk across her face.
"If I knew I wouldn't be giving it to you. Figure it out, tomb raider," Lupin took her hand and closed her hand around the object.
"You really are impossible," Lara growled with a hint of sarcasm.
"Ah yes, but why ask for the moon when you can have the stars?" Lupin swept his lips over hers in a gentle but demanding kiss. The heat from his lips warmed her body instantly from the dampness and chill of the weather. He pulled back just enough for their eyes to lock and he smiled a puff of white coming from his breath." Good luck sweeting." Lupin smiled and in an instant the shadows swept him away.
"Save your luck for someone that needs it," Lara smirked and tucked the ring away.
***** "What is it?" Kaitlin raised an eyebrow at the gift Alex handed her.
"Think of it as an early Christmas present," Alex shrugged.
Kaitlin looked at him unammused, "its only April,." she mocked.
"Are you going to open it or not?" Alex frowned. Kaitlin smiled and pulled open the top of the box, sitting on the balance beam. Inside were two Semi- automatic Berettas tucked in a gun holster.
"Wow." Kaitlin's eyes lit up, she had seen her mothers tons of times but these were ten times better. They came to an X in the back and the buckle was polished silver. It was engraved with a gruesome dragon, holding the initials, KC in its mouth.
"I.I can't accept these," Kaitlin looked up at him disbelieving.
"You don't like them?" Alex was more than a little hurt.
"NO they're great, I mean wow, it's just they must have cost an arm and a leg," Kaitlin shook her head.
"Nah, besides you deserve 'em you've worked your ass off training." Alex smiled.
"Thank you Alex," Kaitlin wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, kissing his cheek.
Alex flushed a bright crimson, "Now lets see how they look," Alex stepped back allowing her to jump down and fit the holster on. Kaitlin spun the Berettas around her fingers and then holstered them like a pro.
"These are great Alex, I really don't know what to say," Kaitlin clasped her hand around the handles withdrawing and slamming them back into the holsters.
"Just promise you won't shoot me with them," Alex said half serious.
"I promise I won't shoot you.unless you deserve it," Kaitlin chuckled.
"Always an unless," Alex smiled, Kaitlin was great, she was everything Lara was and wasn't.
"So when is your next raid?" Kaitlin cocked back one of her Beretta's the clang of an empty chamber greeted her.
"Sorry Kiddo, but I don't have a death wish for when Lara found out. She'd haunt me down and shoot me first ask questions later," Alex said half jokingly.
"You give her too much credit," Kaitlin set the sites.
"She deserves it, she's saved my hide more than once." Alex raised an eyebrow in argument. Kaitlin was silent as she tucked the gun away and walked over to the mat for her Gatorade. "You're father is very lucky to have two wonderful women in his life," Alex smiled but stopped when he saw her expression.
"I don't have a father, I mean I do, of course I do.It's just I've never seen him. And mum avoids the answer to that questions every chance she gets. She refuses to talk about it, and as you know is too stubborn for her own good." Kaitlin shrugged.
"I'm sorry.I didn't know," Alex felt like the total prick.
"Don't apologise, After all there are very few people who my mother tolerates anyway, it is awe inspiring for how you did it so long," Kaitlin smirked trying to change the subject.
"I'm just as stubborn as Lara, I've learned to bite back," Alex laughed. "I've known her since she was seventeen, it was my first raid in Tibet," Alex added with a smirk.
"Ohh.details," Kaitlin looked at him eager for the rest of the story like a fairytale.
"Believe it or not, the first time I saw her she was in waist deep mud trying to pull that damn Ox out. God, I laughed so hard as I tried to help. Eventually we became rather good friends and I thought I had cracked through her shell. I spent loads of time at the Manor helping her build the assault course," Alex could picture the paint fight they had gotton in while painting crates, they came out of it completely black from head to toe.
"If you two were such good friends what happened?" Kaitlin didn't think anyone else knew the Lara she did.
"Nothing, it was great for a while, what can I say she's beautiful and we got involved for a little bit. When I asked her to marry me she.. well uh refused, we fought and I left. I also took some prayer wheels that she had worked so hard for.then sold them to the first person who held up a pound," It hurt Alex to bring up the past.
"How sad." Kaitlin frowned.
"It was for quite some time until the illuminati, then things got better for a while until U took a job in India. She told me that if I went she wasn't going to be there when I got back.and of course at 25 you voluntarily rebel, I left and well Lara kept her promise, it wasn't even until a couple years later I even saw her again," Alex sighed.
"It was at the opening of this very museum, but I couldn't find the courage to talk to her." Alex confessed.
"So that night at the Muskrat you thought I was her." Kaitlin understood a lot now, that their meeting hadn't been coincidental, as she had first thought. Alex just nodded. "You two sounded close, I mean if you wanted to marry her." Kaitlin shrugged.
"But you should know better than anyone that Lara Croft doesn't allow anyone to get close to her, at least not for long enough to get passed the guns and sunglasses," Alex stood up a little angry.
"She's just human, sometimes I forget that," Kaitlin sighed.
"It's getting late, and I don't want you getting in trouble because of me." Alex nodded running a hand through his blonde hair.
A shadow moved across the floor and Alex glanced over his shoulder. Kaitlin Croft stood thee sunglasses over her eyes. "Glad you could make it," Alex smiled. "If my mother won't show me I figure I'd have to settle for you," she smirked.
"Ah yes I always was second in compare to her," Alex laughed picking up his shirt.
Alex swung with the padded stick and it connected with the back of Kaitlin's legs, she toppled over onto the mat. "Owww." Kaitlin growled.
"You have to know where I am hitting next, you kind of guess and then act," Alex smirked leaning on his stick.
"I'm not psychic."Kaitlin climbed back onto the raised platform and swung at him. Alex barely had time to block her shot, but got it and swung back.
The duel went on for quite some time until Alex could tell she was getting tired. Alex swung and she blocked then he jabbed knocking her back to the mat-.
"Much better," Alex hopped down.
"What are you talking about? I'm still on the bloody floor." Kaitlin rolled her eyes.
"Don't expect to be the best the first few times," Alex offered her a hand and helped her up. "Now let's see how well you shoot," Alex smiled and led his apprentice to the indoor shooting range.
For the next few weeks Kaitlin was constantly absent from the Croft Manor, Lara never getting an answer to where she went. Both of them hated the silence between them, they had always had a very open and closer conversation, Kaitlin knew that even though her mother may seem insensitive to others that Kaitlin could tell her anything.
Lara sat in a small coffee shop watching the rain hit the paved streets bustling with taxis and busses. She sighed and stood, realizing she had spent way too much time staring at her cup rather than drinking from it. She laid a 5 pound note on the table and sliding her jacket on walked out to the parking lot. Someone stood by her E-700 Mercedes, no expression on his face. His emerald eyes lit up as the rain poured down on him sopping him from head to foot.
"I think I have something to help you with those scrolls," Lupin tossed her a small silver object.
Lara caught it and opened her palm staring down at the ring. It was engraved with symbols and flames. Atop it was a large emerald that, even in the nebulous conditions outside shone with perfection. "What is it?" Lara raised an eyebrow a smirk across her face.
"If I knew I wouldn't be giving it to you. Figure it out, tomb raider," Lupin took her hand and closed her hand around the object.
"You really are impossible," Lara growled with a hint of sarcasm.
"Ah yes, but why ask for the moon when you can have the stars?" Lupin swept his lips over hers in a gentle but demanding kiss. The heat from his lips warmed her body instantly from the dampness and chill of the weather. He pulled back just enough for their eyes to lock and he smiled a puff of white coming from his breath." Good luck sweeting." Lupin smiled and in an instant the shadows swept him away.
"Save your luck for someone that needs it," Lara smirked and tucked the ring away.
***** "What is it?" Kaitlin raised an eyebrow at the gift Alex handed her.
"Think of it as an early Christmas present," Alex shrugged.
Kaitlin looked at him unammused, "its only April,." she mocked.
"Are you going to open it or not?" Alex frowned. Kaitlin smiled and pulled open the top of the box, sitting on the balance beam. Inside were two Semi- automatic Berettas tucked in a gun holster.
"Wow." Kaitlin's eyes lit up, she had seen her mothers tons of times but these were ten times better. They came to an X in the back and the buckle was polished silver. It was engraved with a gruesome dragon, holding the initials, KC in its mouth.
"I.I can't accept these," Kaitlin looked up at him disbelieving.
"You don't like them?" Alex was more than a little hurt.
"NO they're great, I mean wow, it's just they must have cost an arm and a leg," Kaitlin shook her head.
"Nah, besides you deserve 'em you've worked your ass off training." Alex smiled.
"Thank you Alex," Kaitlin wrapped her arms around him and hugged him, kissing his cheek.
Alex flushed a bright crimson, "Now lets see how they look," Alex stepped back allowing her to jump down and fit the holster on. Kaitlin spun the Berettas around her fingers and then holstered them like a pro.
"These are great Alex, I really don't know what to say," Kaitlin clasped her hand around the handles withdrawing and slamming them back into the holsters.
"Just promise you won't shoot me with them," Alex said half serious.
"I promise I won't shoot you.unless you deserve it," Kaitlin chuckled.
"Always an unless," Alex smiled, Kaitlin was great, she was everything Lara was and wasn't.
"So when is your next raid?" Kaitlin cocked back one of her Beretta's the clang of an empty chamber greeted her.
"Sorry Kiddo, but I don't have a death wish for when Lara found out. She'd haunt me down and shoot me first ask questions later," Alex said half jokingly.
"You give her too much credit," Kaitlin set the sites.
"She deserves it, she's saved my hide more than once." Alex raised an eyebrow in argument. Kaitlin was silent as she tucked the gun away and walked over to the mat for her Gatorade. "You're father is very lucky to have two wonderful women in his life," Alex smiled but stopped when he saw her expression.
"I don't have a father, I mean I do, of course I do.It's just I've never seen him. And mum avoids the answer to that questions every chance she gets. She refuses to talk about it, and as you know is too stubborn for her own good." Kaitlin shrugged.
"I'm sorry.I didn't know," Alex felt like the total prick.
"Don't apologise, After all there are very few people who my mother tolerates anyway, it is awe inspiring for how you did it so long," Kaitlin smirked trying to change the subject.
"I'm just as stubborn as Lara, I've learned to bite back," Alex laughed. "I've known her since she was seventeen, it was my first raid in Tibet," Alex added with a smirk.
"Ohh.details," Kaitlin looked at him eager for the rest of the story like a fairytale.
"Believe it or not, the first time I saw her she was in waist deep mud trying to pull that damn Ox out. God, I laughed so hard as I tried to help. Eventually we became rather good friends and I thought I had cracked through her shell. I spent loads of time at the Manor helping her build the assault course," Alex could picture the paint fight they had gotton in while painting crates, they came out of it completely black from head to toe.
"If you two were such good friends what happened?" Kaitlin didn't think anyone else knew the Lara she did.
"Nothing, it was great for a while, what can I say she's beautiful and we got involved for a little bit. When I asked her to marry me she.. well uh refused, we fought and I left. I also took some prayer wheels that she had worked so hard for.then sold them to the first person who held up a pound," It hurt Alex to bring up the past.
"How sad." Kaitlin frowned.
"It was for quite some time until the illuminati, then things got better for a while until U took a job in India. She told me that if I went she wasn't going to be there when I got back.and of course at 25 you voluntarily rebel, I left and well Lara kept her promise, it wasn't even until a couple years later I even saw her again," Alex sighed.
"It was at the opening of this very museum, but I couldn't find the courage to talk to her." Alex confessed.
"So that night at the Muskrat you thought I was her." Kaitlin understood a lot now, that their meeting hadn't been coincidental, as she had first thought. Alex just nodded. "You two sounded close, I mean if you wanted to marry her." Kaitlin shrugged.
"But you should know better than anyone that Lara Croft doesn't allow anyone to get close to her, at least not for long enough to get passed the guns and sunglasses," Alex stood up a little angry.
"She's just human, sometimes I forget that," Kaitlin sighed.
"It's getting late, and I don't want you getting in trouble because of me." Alex nodded running a hand through his blonde hair.