Chapter 21 – Regaining Consciousness

Visions danced in Lara's head like giddy cartoons. She could see the Leviathan, huge and scaly, but somehow ridiculously comical. Like a poorly drawn comic strip. And then it was all red and blue, like mental fireworks drumming up a grand finale somewhere in her temporal lobe. She could see the river basin in all its glory, outlined in the rays of the setting sun. It would be peaceful once more. The silent, cerulean goddess of the Bhima River would rest now that she had been cleansed of that terrible evil.

She could hear Ishan's calming voice whispering to her through a shroud of pain and confusion. The achy layers seemed to peel away whenever she caught his voice again. She tried to focus herself, but the pain was too black and too deep. It went down to the very bottom of her being. She remembered smelling the sweet scent of sandalwood, and knowing that Chiranjeet was at her side. He was the only one who smelled that beautiful. That wise.

Once or twice she felt Alex's cool touch against her forehead. Or at least, what she believed to be her forehead. After all that had happened, and with the daze she was floating in, she wasn't sure which way was up any more. She remembered smelling him, that lush, exotic scent that he always carried. She wondered what type of soap he used. She sensed another presence beside her from time to time. Something she couldn't recognize. It was small and warm and remorseful. But it was also hopeful. It was accompanied by a voice that she thought might have been Mitchell's. She hoped against hope that he was alive. Kendra would be waiting for him.

And then, as she began to drift again between the world of the living and that of the surreal, she felt her father. He wasn't there, no… she knew better than that. He was something else entirely. A secret energy that only the two of them knew about. He visited her in her darkness, whispering to her and telling her stories of the city of Rome. Of the great palaces that still stood in the countryside, now villas for the fabulously wealthy. How there were rumors that treasures from the past still lingered inside of them, like ghosts refusing to leave. She could smell him, that strong and dashing smell of tealeaves, peppermint, and expensive parchment. The kind he always used to keep journals on. She missed that smell. How many nights had she crept into bed with him as a little girl, simply desiring the comfort that smell brought her? She couldn't recount. And now he floated with her, promising her that everything would reveal itself in due course. To trust her instincts, and above all… to trust the power of discovery. All would be made known eventually. But right now, she had to rest. He encouraged her to let herself go, to feel the pain, and to drift in that haze that held her captive. And she did. She drifted away and slept. For a very long time.

Lara's eyes fluttered open lazily, her eyelids feeling like small weights. Her vision was blurry, and nothing would come into focus. The light was so bright! She shut her eyes again, a dull throbbing in her arms the only thing reminding her that she was still human. Everything on her ached, but in a deep, resonating manner. She felt ten times older than she should have felt, and that was never good. She tried to open her eyes again, finding it a little easier and her focus much clearer… if not entirely up to par yet. She tried to move her head, but quickly discovered that it was nearly impossible. She groaned, letting herself relax a little. She could hear voices outside. Outside of where, she could not distinguish. She hoped to God that she was back in her bedroom in Surrey, Hilary and Bryce outside chatting about waking her up with a spot of breakfast. She suddenly realized she was famished. She tried looking around, and saw that she was back in her room in the temple, wispy shades drawn around the windows to keep out the sun. She sighed. It was better than being back in the Dragon's Lair…

Suddenly, she remembered all that had happened. She could recall everything. She tried to sit upright again, only to be pushed back down to the bed by a terrible weightiness in her chest. She cried out as sharp pains flew through her body at break-neck speeds. She felt tears well at the corners of her swollen eyes, and her heart sank. She was completely incapacitated. She shut her eyes tight, willing the pain to disappear and the anger to dissipate. No luck on either count. She opened them with a start as she felt a cool hand against her cheek.

"Keshini…" came Ishan's soft voice. Lara smiled slightly as he leaned in close to her.

"What do you think, Ishan?" she whispered hoarsely. "Will I make it?" Ishan smiled, placing his hands gently on her shoulders.

"I believe you will survive. After all, you are Lara Croft." Lara tried to laugh, but she cut herself off as pain jolted through her sides.

"Don't move too much, Lara. You have sustained great injury," Ishan said quietly, pulling the slight coverlets up around her arms.

"I think my rib-heads are bruised," she replied feebly, taking his small hand in hers.

"Yes, they are. The doctors have already been here."

"Really? What doctors?" Ishan glanced at the door to her bedroom.

"Mason had three expert Italian doctors flown out here the minute Alex pulled you onto the beach. They said both of your arms were dislocated, and that your ribs were very bruised. They also said you had suffered deep lacerations as well as sufficient bruising on your arms and legs." Lara groaned slightly.

"Anything else?" she asked hesitantly. Ishan let his gaze drop to the floor.

"They said you have severe fatigue, and that you should do nothing but stay in bed for two weeks."

"Two weeks!" Lara screamed, her pain temporarily forgotten. She tried to sit up, but flopped back instantly as her arms began to pulsate in pain again.

"Keshini, please!" Ishan pleaded, petting her head gently.

"I'm sorry Ishan. I'm just pissed off. None of this went according to plan. I feel like a failure. And what's worse… I'm completely useless."

"Now, now, Lara… You're far from useless. And you're certainly not a failure. You saved Mitchell's life, you know." Lara looked up at him intently, her eyes welling.

"Mitchell's alive?" she asked tentatively. Ishan smiled, his two-toned eyes filled with warmth.

"Yes, Keshini. He is alive. Alive and well. And he owes it all to you."

"Bullshit," she muttered. "He's an excellent diver and a good man. That's what saved him out there. Not me."

"He believes differently, and I'm sure he'll have something to say about all that when he gets back."

"Back from what?"

"He took his wife to shop in the markets today," Ishan replied, smiling. "She's really a lovely woman. She's been at your side every minute we'd allow her to be. You're her new hero."

"Kendra? You mean she's here?"

"Yes, indeed. Some of Mason's team members contacted her to explain what happened. She got on the first plane out here. Mason's given everyone the next few days off, so they slipped away together early this morning."

As he spoke softly, he produced a small wooden cup filled with a sweet-smelling liquid. He held it up to Lara's lips, encouraging her to sip slowly. As the smooth liquid slid down her parched throat, she began to drift again. It coursed through her body, warming her and cooling her at the same time. Her muscles relaxed and the pain slid away seamlessly. She continued floating as Ishan murmured about Kendra and Mitchell and all that had happened since that day in the mountains. She fell asleep to the soothing sound of his voice telling her to sleep.

Lara awoke with a start from a terrible nightmare, her skin damp and shaky. She gasped for breath, and her heart skipped a beat as she felt someone reach out and take her jittery hand.

"Lara?" came Alex's cool voice. She sighed a little, relief rushing over her in waves. She tried moving her head again, and found a little give. She glanced up, Alex's face framed by moonlight.

"Alex… you son of a bitch," she muttered a little breathlessly. He smiled weakly, touching a hand to her cheek. Her stomach rolled, and she realized he was worried about her. Probably had been for a while.

"Hey Croft. Looks like you're gonna live after all," he replied with a smirk. Their eyes met, and Lara gave him a slight smile. She noticed his face changing again, like the night he had kissed her on the balcony. His face melted away slightly, his features melding into something older and wiser. And that golden ring…

"What are you looking at, Lara?" he asked quietly. Lara shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts and her vision.

"Nothing. I… I'm just happy to see you again, Alex," she replied softly. She reached out to take his other hand in hers, blushing a little as she did so. She could hear Alex's breath hitch a little at her touch, and it filled her with a certain feminine satisfaction that warmed her at the base of her spine. He brought his eyes to hers, shockingly blue in the moonlight.

"I was really worried about you there for a while, Lara. Things weren't looking too good."

"I know, Alex. I know. But I'm fine now. A few more days of bed-rest, and I should be my old, renegade self again." She offered him a thin smile, the pain returning in waves.

"You should get some sleep, Lara. I'll send Ishan in with some of that great sedative of his." Lara smiled, imagining that he had to be just as worn out as she was.

"Thanks Alex," she replied. "Thanks for everything."

"Ah, come on. I didn't do anything." Lara gazed intently at him, her heart hammering with pain and emotion.

"You saved me out there, Alex. You didn't have to, but you did. Several months ago, you would have gladly murdered me before coming to my rescue." Alex ran a hand through his hair, which was characteristically disheveled.

"Yeah, well… only because I was terribly jealous of your success. Especially after the Fairwind incident." Lara cringed.

"Yeah… about that. I'm sorry for leaving your ass down there." Alex laughed.

"Please! You had a good laugh about it. Plus, I deserved to be ditched down there. I was a total ass." Lara gazed at him, the pain coursing through her body beginning to make her drowsy again.

"Nothing's changed there," she joked weakly. Alex smiled, touching a hand to her head. He watched as her eyes slipped closed in pain and exhaustion. He got up, making his way as quietly as he could towards the door.

"Alex," Lara called feebly from the bed behind him. He turned, his eyes heavy with concern.

"Yeah Lara?"

"Thanks anyway. I owe you one." Alex snorted slightly in laughter.

"Hah! You owe me a hell of a lot more than one, Lara Croft!" With that, he left her to sleep, closing the door softly behind him.

"Where have I heard that before," she muttered to herself as she slipped back into fitful sleep, feeling a small part of her old self reawaken once more beneath the pain.