Author's Note: Originally this was supposed to be the last chapter…everything seemed to tie together and it looked like a good point to end it. But I'm having a lot of fun with this story and I thought it would be a shame to end it so soon, so on it shall go. Drop me some more reviews please! Love hearing from you guys.

Chapter 4: Second Chances

Coming to a halt outside of the large building, Lara picked up the boy and carried him inside the hospital. She was met by a short older woman with glasses at the reception desk who gave her a dubious stare. "Name?" The older woman asked after a few moments.

"Lance—" Lara replied, but was cut off by the other woman.

"Age?"

"Sixteen." The tomb raider replied with a considerable amount of annoyance in her voice.

The receptionist lifted her glasses and skeptically lifted her eyebrows at the woman in front of her. "What happened to him?"

Lara searched her mind for a logical and reasonable explanation—moreover, a logical and reasonable explanation that would not put her in jail. "We were out riding together and he crashed his motorcycle." She replied, which was not exactly a lie, but still a rather large stretch from the truth.

The woman at the desk sighed and sent another nurse to escort the young man to his room. "You can go see him in about an hour if you want." She said, and then paused. "Is he your brother?"

Lara chuckled at the notion of having him as a brother, but found it more humorous when she deducted that that would also make Larson her father. "No, not really." The tomb raider responded as she walked away, searching for something to help her kill some time.

About an hour later, Lara walked down the long white halls and opened the door to Lance's room. The room was blinding white, and she made a mental note of how much it reminded her of her dream. That thought caused her to falter, but shaking off her unease she took a seat on the red plush chair next to the bed.

"What are you doing here?" Lance demanded insolently, moving away from the tomb raider remarkably fast for an injured boy. Although he tried to act indignant, Lara could plainly see the hint of fear in his eyes.

"I saved your life, so maybe you should be a bit more grateful." Lara advised. "I could have just as easily finished you off if I had wanted to."

At that statement a look of unadulterated confusion crossed the young man's face for a split second, but soon Lance regained his mask of anger. The two sat in an almost hostile silence for what seemed like forever before the boy spoke up. "Why?" He did not look angry as he spoke anymore, his reply barely above a whisper. "You're nothing like what my father said you were."

Shaking her head slightly, Lara knelt down next to Lance's bed. "Larson was one of my worst enemies." The tomb raider started. "I figured he would convince you that I'm a bad person."

Lance did not say anything in response, but he began to feel guilty about everything he had put the woman through. After all, maybe she was not really such a bad person. "Could you…" He started, but then trailed off. "Could you tell me what really happened?" It's funny, Lance thought, I have heard only negative things about this woman but somehow I feel like I can trust her. If she really wanted to kill me, she would have done it back when she had the chance.

Honoring his request, Lara told him about when she first met Larson and up until his timely demise while Lance just sat there in shock. "Wow, he never told me those stories before. All he told me is that you were a vicious, dangerous person and to kill you at any cost."

Silence prevailed for a few moments, leaving the two of them to their own separate thoughts. "What do you say I get you out of here and take you back to my mansion for a little while?" Lara asked finally.

"You would trust me? Even after all I've done?" Lance asked with a hint of disbelief in his voice.

The tomb raider just smiled. "Everyone deserves a second chance, but it would be in your best interest not to stab me in the back."

The boy got out of bed and put on his shoes, which was quite an accomplishment for one who had his arm in a sling, and walked out with Lara. "You think we should tell them we left?" Lance asked as he inhaled the cool afternoon air.

The tomb raider just smirked as she put on her helmet and helped Lance onto the back of her bike. "I don't think they'll mind."

"Lara! Hey, wait a minute!" A deep, familiar voice called out from behind. This caused both lance and Lara to jump off the motorcycle and turn around, seeing Mark running up to them.

"Hey Mark, what brings you here?" Lara asked with a smile.

The older man just shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "I was just taking a walk around, no destination in particular." His eyes then met those of the younger man. "Who's the kid?"

"That would be Lance. He had a change of heart a few minutes too late." Lara replied as she gestured toward the boy.

Mark laughed, noticing what a job Lara had done on him. With one arm in a sling, a bandaged head, a black eye, and many cuts…yes, he could safely say that was the look of somebody who had gotten on Lara's bad side. "So I see…well, take care Lara."

The man was about to jog away when the tomb raider's voice stopped him momentarily. "Hey Mark, if you want to stop by my mansion a bit later maybe we can talk or something." She offered.

Mark broke out into a wide grin. "Sure, I'd like that. It's been a while since we actually talked. I'll see you then!" He responded before continuing down the street with his jog.

Once he was out of earshot, a mischievous smile slowly began to cross Lance's face. "Oh, I see what's going on here. 'Talking'? So that's what they're calling it nowadays." He said slyly as he suggestively wagged his eyebrows.

"Grow up." Lara retorted sharply, but it did not have the desired effect seeing as how the undaunted boy just laughed.

"Ain't gonna, don't wanna, can't make me, so there!" Lance replied as he stuck out his tongue playfully.

The tomb raider just sighed and dropped her head. Dear gods what did I get myself into? She thought, and then got back on the motorcycle. "Come on, let's go." Lance obeyed and the two drove off to the Croft mansion.

Dismounting the motorcycle, she walked up the stairs to her front door and went in, Lance following behind and gazing at his surroundings in amazement. "Daaaaaamn….think you got enough room in this place?"

Lara walked him into the main room and the boy took a seat on the couch. "Stay right here and don't move. I'll be back." She ordered as she walked into the kitchen. The tomb raider did not need anything, she just wanted to see what lance would do if he were left alone.

Winston took that opportunity to walk into the main room. "Lara, I heard you come in and…oh my god!" Lance just smiled awkwardly and gave a small wave, and the butler, without a second of hesitation sent a flying side kick into the younger man's chest, causing both of them and the couch to tumble over.

Lara ran into the room, struggling to keep a straight face as she saw the two trapped underneath the large piece of furniture. "Winston it's alright, I let him in. Sorry I should have told you." She apologized as she picked the couch up and helped Winston and Lance to their feet, both of then sauntering over to separate chairs next to the other.

"Almost forgot Lara, there's somebody here to see you." The butler remembered as he gestured for Mark to come out.

"Miss me?" He asked with a smile as Winston left the room, silently urging Lance to follow him, which he did. Lara and Mark sat next to each other on the couch.

"So how has everything been going? It's been a long time since high school." Lara asked as the man inched a little more closely to her.

Mark just cocked his head to the side and shrugged. "Same old, same old. My life is nowhere near as exciting as yours is."

The pair remained silent for a moment before Lara spoke up. "Look Mark, I'm sorry for leaving you years ago." She started, eyes looking everywhere except for the man in front of her. "I could have at least told you goodbye first. It's just that I was confused. I didn't know how to say…" Lara paused and smiled. "As a matter of fact I still don't know how to say…"

Mark was amused at Lara's chagrin as she tried to find the right words to say. Words be damned, the man thought with determination, there is more than one way to get your point across. Very slowly the man moved in to kiss her, and Lara became aware of what was about to happen. In a split second she gave in and was mere inches away from him when…

"HELLO!" Lance yelled, jumping up from behind the couch and startling the pair so much that they almost fell off the couch.

"How long were you hiding there?" Mark asked, visibly rather embarrassed while Lance gave Lara that same predatory grin.

"Long enough." The young man arched his eyebrows and sat on the floor facing the two. "Oh Lara!" He exclaimed, his face lighting up as he grabbed his laptop. "Check this out, they're looking for an artifact called Runihura's Spear. I think it's somewhere in Egypt." Lance turned the screen to show the tomb raider, and then shut the laptop closed. "So what do you say? You up for it?"

Lara gazed down at the ground trying to make it seem like she was carefully weighing the pros and cons in her mind, however all of the acting skills in the world could not conceal the smile that was slowly crossing her face. Lara Croft, tomb raider, was back with a vengeance.

Chapter 5 preview: It has been one year since Lara heard about the latest artifact in Egypt, and the time has been spent training Lance for their expedition. But when it is found out who else is searching for Runihura's Spear, an important decision must be made.