thanks for sticking with me till this far, if there are any mistakes in the chapter/story then i apologise. im sorry for the short chapter but im changing a bit of the original story i wrote so ill upload it as soon as possible.
oh before i forget (disclaimer: i do not own any of the tomb raider characters that feature in the games or movies)
Kurtis was rubbing his forehead as he walked in through the glass doors of the airport. "Would you please stop rubbing your head, it wasn't nearly as hard. . .you're just exaggerating"
"If I knew you were going to smash my head into the window I would have walked instead" kurtis said as he remembered when she braked into the parking space, he hit his head rather hard.
"You're such a wimp, even Alistair complains less than you"
"Well excuse me miss croft but if I'm on a complaining spree why stop now. . .once we set foot through the x-ray machine they're going to think of us as assassins"
"That's what we have zip for" Lara waved to one of the cameras, she knew zip had already taken care of those. They walked in silence toward the x-ray machine when a security guard stopped them. She had blonde hair with green eyes, she was quite attractive but kurtis didn't really have time to notice.
Lara took the bag from him unwillingly and put it on the x-ray machine. The woman checked Lara first, seeing as she finished as fast as possible she really wanted to check kurtis. She was thoroughly searching for any concealed weapons, not that kurtis minded. Lara was getting irritated as it is when she made herself audible. "If you don't mind we have a meeting and were in quite a hurry" she shot an irritated glance at the woman when she stepped away from kurtis and he took his bag. Kurtis winked at Lara before climbing on the private jet, flown by Eddie. Lara was sitting in the corner in the back of the jet while kurtis sat almost completely in front. When Paris came into sight he stood up and walked over to Lara. He took a seat next to her.
"you can't avoid the subject forever Lara what happened, it felt right" kurtis never talked to anyone about his feelings but it was different this time, he cared for Lara. Ever since they met he felt attracted to her, something different. It was as if they were destined to meet. Just like Lara kurtis never believed in fait or destiny, but some things were just meant to happen.
"I'm not getting attached" Lara knew she hurt kurtis but in truth she hurt herself too, a lot.
"attached?"
"our relationship is purely professional"
"We both know you're lying Lara, I don't care if you lie to me but you're lying to yourself. . ."
"thank you doctor Phil, mind telling me why I had the dreams?" Lara knew she was lying but she wasn't prepared to admit it.
"I don't know, I didn't call for help. . .I've been thinking about it a lot since you told me"
"What did Karel do to you kurtis, I only saw bits and pieces?"
"He tried a lot of things, he tried torture physically and mentally. . .he did some really creepy mind tricks but for some shitty reason I've lost half my memory of it all"
"Kurtis I-" Lara was cut off when the seatbelt signs showed up. And Eddie started calling over the intercom "lady Lara croft, countess of Abbingdon we are now going to land in the Le Bourget airport, please do not attempt any parachute jumps" Eddie always made jokes when landing and it made Lara smile somewhat. Kurtis sighed at the comment but said nothing.
The jet slowly descended at the runway, a slight bump made Lara grab hold of the seat as the wheels touched the gravel. Lara let kurtis rent them a car, of course she gave him her bank card to do so. She waited for him outside. In a matter of minutes a black SUV pulled up in front of her. She didn't want to draw too much attention to herself but obviously kurtis had different ideas. She climbed in and threw the bags onto the back seat.
"your best choice was a SUV, really kurtis what were you thinking?"
"You're paying so I thought I'd have some fun" Lara just rolled her eyes and gestured for him to drive.
"So you wanne go to a hotel?"
"we won't be staying that long, remember that café from back then?"
"Café Metro?" kurtis really had no idea what she wanted to do.
"Yeah café metro, I'd like to see how Pierre is getting along" Lara just made up an excuse, she wanted to let go of the memories but she wanted to revisit the place at least once more. Kurtis just shook his head and started the car. After a short drive he stopped next to the alley (Rue de Clef) where the entrance to The Serpent Rouge. Lara looked on as she saw a familiar woman, except she was a tad bit older. Lara got out of the car and kurtis soon followed.
Janice walked over to kurtis, "I do give special favors monsieur" Lara rolled her eyes and watched as kurtis narrowed his eyes on the woman.
"Move along Janice, his with me" as soon as Janice turned to Lara a certain memory filed her eyes. She took a step back and looked at Lara with astonished eyes.
"Oh the women from back then. You were looking for bouchard, did you find him?"
"Yeah thanks but I really wouldn't keep you from your job" Lara looked into the direction of a man, young with black hair and dull green eyes. He was waving a roll of money to Janice. She smiled, nodded a goodbye to Lara and kurtis and proceeded to her customer. Lara started to walk up the small stairs leading to the Parisian ghetto with kurtis following close behind. Lara stood in front of the closed doors of the café she first saw kurtis in. Newspaper covered the windows so that nothing inside was visible. Lara remembered the bike, parked near the entrance and the American sitting in the corner. Lara thought back to Amanda for some reason, her best friend yet enemy now. Lara remembered Amanda's face down in paraiso, she was afraid, no terrified. The water was rising and Lara couldn't hold onto the gate forever, what hurt the most is that she knew that. Amanda was stuck, feet under rubble and Lara was out of breath. When Lara surfaced she found Anaya, told her everything and they decided to leave, to leave the place that took almost all their friends. They thought of it as a memorial but what they left in the past came back to haunt Lara in the future. Lara felt an uneasiness, kurtis was trying to get into her head again.
"You couldn't have stopped it Lara"
"You're right I couldn't but nothing like that is ever happening again. . ." kurtis wasn't expecting Lara to admit it.
"wow no killer attitude comment? I'm amused" kurtis reassured her.
"you're going to be dead if you keep on thinking you're funny enough to be breathing"
"I don't think I'm funny, I'm hilarious"
"keep believing that" she walked past kurtis toward the car. He kept calling her name until they reached the car when she was resting her hands on the roof by the passenger seat. "Its still early, I'm bored so let's get to work. . .where'd you say the grail was?" she smiled mischievously.
"Get in the car" he sighed and got in himself. "Hold on" kurtis said loudly as he stepped hard on the gas.
A short while later they arrived at the foot of the Pyrenees. A thin layer of snow covered the tops. The weather wasn't cold but it wasn't warm either. Every time a breeze blew past them Lara would shiver ever so slightly. She was still wearing the same attire from where they left the manor. Kurtis and Lara both watched at the mountain in awe, it was so beautiful but secretive at the same time. "Well I'm not seeing anything interesting" Lara stated simply while getting a bag from the back of the car.
"Neither am I, you wanne get ready do it now I really would like to get this over with"
"Why do you think I got the bag out. . .keep looking at the mountain" kurtis understood what Lara meant and kept looking at the scene in front of him. He lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth. A few minutes later Lara joined at his side with her usual raiding clothes in cold climates. Only this time she was wearing a white long sleeved shirt with a thick black waistcoat and a long pair of black cargo pants tucked into her combat boots. Kurtis on the other hand had no other way to dress, he was always in the same types of clothes as when Lara first saw him. Lara was ready for anything, or so she thought.
"No smoking we have a job to do" Lara said while snatching the cigarette from his mouth, throwing it to the ground and crushing it under the sole of her shoes.
"yes mother, I left the exact coordinates with zip" Lara sighed and handed him an earpiece as well as inserting her own into her ear.
"Now you decide to tell me" Lara heard a sudden beep in her ear, signaling her that the earpiece was on.
"it looks like it" kurtis defended himself. He suddenly took a step back from the static over the earphone, followed by the beep also letting him know that they were in contact with the others.
"hey Lara, having fun? You're eager to find the grail or whatever it's called" zip's so charming way to let everyone know his there.
"In correct terms it's called the Holy Grail, but grail works too. Where's Alistair?" Lara and Alistair usually did riddles together. . .
"Hey Lara, is that the Pyrenees? It looks cold"
"Yes Alistair those are the Pyrenees, it is quite cool to tell the truth. . .are we alone zip?"
"wow gal if you want to kiss the guy go get a room" Lara sighed, then looked directly into kurtis's eyes
"okay okay, just trying to make you smile"
"silence from you will make me smile" Lara replied
"yes Lara you're alone, nothing in a five mile radius, but you may want to get moving" Alistair made himself heard
"thanks Einstein" kurtis eagerly demanded
"I'm going to pretend it was a compliment"
"whatever keeps you from crying" kurtis and Alistair were clearly not best of friends. But Alistair was a lover of peace so he left it at that.
"That's enough kurtis"
"Good now I know" kurtis crossed his arms in front of his chest
"Oh for goodness sakes you're worse than a two year old"
"a pretty handsome two year old don't you think?" he shot back
"no more than usual"
"yes of course there comes the adorable tomb raider"
"and the smartass demon hunter which I really will be shooting in the ass if he doesn't hurry up "
"hah a demon hunter, what does he hunt, deer that have psychological problems" Alistair half laugh half said over the headset
"Yeah if ya don't mind I was busy enjoying myself before this came up so can we get to the point" zip clearly still with his head in the clouds
"if you can keep up" Lara smiled at kurtis
"I took off with your painting in the Louvre remember " kurtis gave his signature smirk
"and got knocked out remember?" Lara Started walking toward the mountains "I'm guessing it's near the cittabel?" Lara asked
"On the contrary-" Alistair couldn't finish when zip started again,
"On the contrary it's at your marvelous location right now, just a bit of a climb" zip said mimicking Alistair's voice
"Oh very funny, the gear's in the suitcase Lara" Alistair reminded them
"I know that's why I forgot it at home" Lara and kurtis both smiled at the challenge then continued toward the mountain, ignoring zip and Alistair. It was a higher climb than Lara had first anticipated but the adrenaline had her wanting for it to be higher. They reached the cave, Lara was already examining the entrance when kurtis pulled himself up. Near the entrance was a symbol carved out in the rock, just a simple cross. Lara smiled victorious and gestured for kurtis to follow her. Kurtis sighed and followed, they walked for hours, seeing nothing but darkness. Kurtis suddenly bumped into a cave wall, zip and Alistair were laughing but Lara did not find it funny in any way. Lara knew this was the right place, it had that feeling of death, the smell of desertedness! Kurtis shook himself right, and to Lara's relief made the other two quiet.
"now what? There's nothing here?"
"Oh keep quiet will you, Lara's doing it again?" Alistair said
"Yeah but this time we see her from another angle its going to be awesome" zip added
Lara was busy examining the wall when she started talking, not even once looking up or taking her attention from the wall. "What are you two on about? I really am trying to concentrate"
"You're being a tomb raider, you're being you. . .it's really very amusing" zip complied
Lara smiled when she rubbed the wall with the tips of her fingers, the only parts not covered by the gloves. Lara drew the two fingers to her nose and exhaled. "Its magnesium, kurtis you got your lighter?"
"Try not to lose it, I only have the one with me and a guy needs his cigarette you know"
Lara rolled her eyes at his comment "no guarantees" but he had no choice when Lara snatched it from his hand. She took a few steps back, pulling kurtis with her. When a small red flame emerged from the tip of the lighter Lara threw it to the wall. A sudden symbol of a cross burnt on the wall but they were forced to shield their eyes as the flame got blindingly. Lara heard a meganism activate and from the clashing of metal behind the wall she knew what was going to happen next. Lara suddenly, in a manner of seconds, laid flat on her stomach as well as kurtis. When Lara went down she literally took kurtis down with her. Moments later two blades from both sides above them cut through the air, from the ceiling came another blade barely missing them, and that all at once. . . When Lara was certain it was safe they got up and walked into darkness through where the wall had just been. They were both in what looked to be a never-ending hall when the previous door suddenly closed.
"I really don't want to understand why you like this" kurtis rolled his eyes
"Well then don't because the good part hasn't even started" Lara smiled victoriously
"What's the so called good part"
"it's where the traps begin, and where she starts activating those that don't work oh and don't forget about the skeletons and things that come to life"
"This is going to be a long day" kurtis commented "but the skeletons sounds like fun"
Lara took two deep breaths, taking in the calm moment before she had to start using her unique skills. She smiled at kurtis and then started walking cautiously into the darkness with kurtis following close behind. The dark hall seemed to go on forever until they heard a sound, much like a thud from ahead. Beneath their feet the ground started to shake violently. They could see the outlines of the boulder coming their way, as expected both of them hugged the wall closest to them and the boulder rolled past them making a slight breeze as it went.
"That was way too close" zips voice broke the deadly silence
Lara gave a slight laugh and continued on with kurtis right beside her. She wasn't used to working with people, the only times she did was in Prague with kurtis, yes she sometimes had people watching over her but this was different. . .kurtis was here, in a tomb, in her territory with her, watching over her, and the best part is that he was able to keep up with her. Both of them stayed completely quiet in order to hear if or rather when they set of any type of trap. It was a good thing they did though, about twenty feet from where they were they were welcomed by a set of blades from both sides of the wall crossing over each other. Lara and kurtis both ducked under to avoid their necks being sliced of. Zip and Alistair were following their example by staying quiet and not saying a word. Suddenly Lara stepped past a torch on the wall and it, along with two other sprang to life with a flame dancing and shedding light to the visitors. It was welcoming to know that Lara's light wasn't the only one but by experience she knew when something, no matter what it is, ever sprang to life. . .something was about to happen. With no warning a stone door fell from the ceiling behind them, shutting them from the previous hall, and the floor began to descend into the wall. Lara and kurtis both started running forward jumping at the last bit in order to land on the hopefully stable part of the floor. Lara was about to catch her breath when the part of the floor on which they stood started doing the same. They started running again barely making it to the other side before the floor was completely gone, revealing what Lara expected, wooden spikes lined up in rows awaiting their next victim. Lara prayed that they would not have to go through that again, and they didn't have to except that the next thing awaiting them was a slope down into whatever was waiting for them. Both of them knew to expect the worst so they took a final look of assurance at each other and started sliding down into the unknown. There was a sound coming from beyond and as a habit they pulled out their weapons and held it in front of them