Suetekh - I can't believe how quickly you reviewed chapter 10! It'd only been up five minutes! LOL Thanks for your continued support. :-)

Godavari - Glad you're enjoying it.
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I found Hillary reading contentedly in the library. I knocked lightly on the open door to get his attention.
"Lara," he said, shutting the book, and moving his feet from the footstool to the floor.
"Could I talk to you, Hilly?"
He nodded and gestured to the chair opposite him, and I lowered myself into it. Leaning back, I propped one elbow on the arm of the chair and chewed at my nail slightly.
"I'm worried about Kurtis."
Hillary regarded me, waiting for me to continue.
"He's dedicated the last few years of his life to killing Eckhardt, and now it's done, he's...lost. I don't know how to help him."
"Maybe you can't."
"I don't believe that, Hilly, there must be something we can do."
"How did you manage when your parents disowned you?" I looked at him blankly, and he continued, leaning forward towards me. "You weren't just cast out by your parents, you were cast out by the whole social circle you were brought up in. You came here, to live with your aunt, and she and I watched you gradually find your own way. Nothing we did or said helped you – you met new people, made new friends, carved yourself a niche in the world outside aristocracy. You did it all yourself, Lara."
"You think Kurtis just needs to settle in?"
"He must have a house, neighbours – people he at least knows, if not friends. Somewhere he can anchor, so that he can start to live outside of adventuring, just like you do."
I shook my head. "He gave up his apartment in Virginia a few months ago when he found Eckhardt's trail – all his things went into storage or were sold to fund his trip. I don't think he knows anyone anymore other than his contacts in Paris."
"He could return there."
I nodded, considering, and Hillary spoke again.
"You're thinking about letting him stay here, aren't you?" I looked up and blinked, before sighing and letting my hand drop to my lap.
"He's used to moving around, that's for sure, but I don't think he wants to drift any more – I think he actually wants to build some kind of life, and he doesn't strike me as the kind of person who would find it easy to make friends. If he stayed here, we could ease him into our social circles – maybe later he could move, if he wanted to, once he's used to living some sort of normal life. And – we worked well together in Prague."
"You've always said you've worked alone," Hillary said.
"I must have changed," I smiled. "It was nice, having someone actually there to back me up. Don't get me wrong – you and Bryce help me a lot, but there's only so much you can do from the other end of an earpiece."
Hillary smiled and stood, placing the book on a side table. He stopped and looked down at me. "Talk to him."
With that, he left the room, leaving me sitting in the armchair considering my options.

The days passed, and neither myself nor Kurtis spoke again about our feelings. I think we both needed some time to think through them ourselves, and to close ourselves off again before we got closer than we were comfortable being. I trained, and Kurtis concentrated on getting better.
I walked into the gym just as Kurtis' physiotherapy session was ending, hoping for a progress report. I was greeted with one without even having to open my mouth. The physiotherapist was helping Kurtis to arch his back whilst lying on his stomach, no doubt increasing the flexibility in the lower region after the surgery and healing had stiffened it up. He was grunting and exhaling in short sharp gasps with the effort and the increased difficulty in breathing that the position gave him, gaining only the minimum of help from the therapist. She let him lower his head back to the ground and told him they were done for the day, and then directed a smile at me.
"He's doing well. We should be able to end the sessions in about three weeks, but I expect him to be off the crutches in one, though he won't be able to run or do any proper exercise for at least a month."
I returned the smile and placed a hand on Kurtis' shoulder, who was still lying on the ground resting after the exertion.
"Lovely. We'll have you running the assault course in no time."
Kurtis snorted.
"Huh. No offence, Miss Croft, but I don't plan to do anything at all ever again. Ever."
His deep voice was muffled slightly by his facedown position, but the humour still shone through. Slightly. Clearly, he still felt he was in an exceptionally bad way and was planning to spend at least a while longer in an advanced state of self-pity. The physio chuckled and picked up her bag, heading out.
"I know my way," she announced cheerfully, and hurried off to her next appointment.
"Bitch." Kurtis grumbled.
"Oh come now," I returned, "She's delightful."
"She's a dragon woman who delights in torturing me."
As if to prove his point he shifted his position slightly and groaned, but made no move to actually get up, apparently in too weak a state. His arms were splayed across the gym mat he'd been working on and his back rose and fell in laboured, theatrical breathing.
"Come, come. Get up." I spoke lightly and prodded him with my foot. This elicited a growl. Kurtis lifted his head to speak.
"Get off me, woman!" He let it fall back and moaned quietly. I sighed.
"Men! Pathetic!"
With that I marched off. Behind me, Kurtis watched me go with one open eye before moaning again and relapsing back into a state of helplessness.