Time has come... last chapter...

His touch was gentle. The light caress of his fingertips hardly distinguishable from the soft raindrops running down her cheek. Lara did not want to open her eyes, did not want to face reality. Just for one moment still, she wanted to enjoy this blissful feeling. No matter how she tried, she could not really be angry with him. Even though he had invaded her mind, planted ideas in her head, made her say things she had never wanted to say.

Maybe it had to be. Maybe this was the only way for her out of this misery, but it was her fight. No one else could fight it for her. Instead of her.

"Why?" – she asked softly, her voice hardly to be heard as the rain was steadily drumming on the ground around them. Kurtis was kneeling in front of her, just like he had been in the tomb once. Watching her face, he could not help noticing how her lips quivered, how the realization of her own emotions hit her. Again.

"They were all worried sick about you. Zip and Winston." – he started to explain. "So Zip tracked me down somehow… I still don't know how." – he remembered the phone call out of the blue. When he had heard that she was suffering, he had left everything behind. The only reason why he had stayed away from her was to keep her safe. But knowing she was in pain was unbearable. So he had waited for her to fall asleep and Zip had brought him to her. Kurtis had entered her mind, just to be confronted with all that pain and agony that imprisoned her, putting that sadness in her eyes, keeping those gorgeous lips from smiling.

"I can't…" – her words were washed away by the rain and Lara couldn't help cuddling against his hand cupping her face again. The pad of his thumb gently caressed her wet skin, trying the impossible to dry the tears he knew were coming. They were both soaked to the bone, kneeling in the mud, but it was not important. Nothing else was important but her. He inched a bit closer, reducing the already tiny distance between them.

"Don't you feel better?" – he asked softly. Lara had done it once. She had accepted her feelings and told him everything. What she had been afraid of, what had made her suffer. "Say it again. It's much easier the second time."

She shook her head slowly, hardly noticeably. "Can't you see what you're doing to me?" – she seemed so lost, fighting the same battle she had already.

"I'm not doing anything to you. It was all you, you alone." – he put a finger under her chin, made her face him. "I've only been there for you, as I am now." – he watched the raindrops caressing her face, washing off the painful expression. "Please look at me." – he waited patiently to see that brown glance again until she slowly opened her eyes.

Their eyes met, and for minutes Lara was only watching him intently, absorbing those warm feelings that made her forget about the chilly rain soaking her.

"I'm so afraid. Is this real now?" – she whispered in disbelief.

"It's always been real. You and I. What I said, what you felt. It was all real." – when he saw the confusion slowly disappear, he craved to see that sweet surrender he had once experienced with her. Her, accepting the feelings he knew were in her. Not far from the surface anymore. "Say it, please."

"Why do you do this to me? Please don't…" – she pleaded, fearing to admit to her emotions.

"I'm not here because Zip asked me to." – he was still holding her gaze steadily and Lara could see the truth behind his words. It was all written in his eyes. "Can't you see what's between us?" – his thumb traced her wet lips when she tried to shake her head in denial, not willing to take this silent, tenuous answer.

"We can't…" – before she could continue, his fingers hushed her.

"I've been afraid to bring you into danger when I'm around. You made me realize what a mistake this was. We can't run from our feelings, Lara." – he cupped her face with both hands now, gently forcing her to keep looking into his eyes. "It's been your face I was seeing every night. You kept me going." – he whispered, offering all he felt for her. "I love you… I've always loved you."

There it was again. Surrender. The tough Lara Croft melting into his arms, those hot tears not cried by pain anymore. He kissed them away, tasting the salty tears mixed with the rain on her skin.

"Kurtis." – she muttered against his lips, completely lost in him.

"Shh…. Just say that you forgive me." – he wanted to hear it. He had to. Instead of an answer she kissed back passionately, arms around his neck, body pressed against his and this time Kurtis did not force the answer. Her lips told him everything in a much more elemental way than words ever could.

The sweetness of the kiss turned into something feral, and he had to get more of her. Grabbing her hand, he pulled her back into the house, up the stairs, into her room where all had started from. Then they were suddenly standing in front of that wide bed of hers, facing each other.

"You're shivering." – he whispered, trying to find his sanity. Lara did not answer, there was no need for words. She let her hands do the talking, gliding them up his chest, slowly opening his wet shirt. It was not the cold making her shiver. Not only.

The soaked clothes landed on the floor, one after the other. His fingers touched the soft skin of her shoulder, tracing down, finding those little scars on her. She looked glorious in the dim light. God, he had been longing for this ever since he had seen her in Paris. When she slipped into the bed, he silently followed. Loneliness fled the room, and a delightful moan left her lips when his warm, firm body covered hers, chasing away all the demons of the past.

Velvety darkness surrounded them when Lara opened her eyes hours later. Kurtis was lying next to her and she heaved a sigh of relief. So it was not a dream after all. She watched the vague light of the moon play on his skin, his chest moving slowly as he breathed. It had been a leap of faith, but she had no regrets. If only for a night, for another hour, even another minute, but she desperately wanted to be with him.

Lara moved her head to the side when she glimpsed something in the corner of her eyes. As if a shadow was moving in through the door in a dark corner. Had she been deceived by her senses? One quiet click in the night. She sat up, holding the thin sheet in front of her. When her eyes got used to the lack of light, a dark figure was standing only a few meters away from her. Tilting her head to the side, she fixed her gaze on him.

"Who are you?" – her voice was low, not more than a whisper.

"That's not important at the moment." – the man answered calmly, coming closer a bit, but keeping a safe distance from her. "My employer has a job for you."

God, this has been an experiment! I've never written such an ending, so go and tell me what you think! Hate it, love it, finding it irritating? I want to know :)

As usual... special thanks to Angy1996 for the idea and the support throughout the story (and of course the reviews). I had great fun writing this!

Another special thanks to Najel for the chats and reviews! - you kept me going!

BIG HUG for x The Dreaming Dove x for the support and for correcting my terrible grammar mistakes! - You're the best!

Thanks to Nemesis... I loved your enthusiasm for the story. Same goes to en-lumine and Jessica151294! And last but not least Arthemida, who is at least as much a hopeless romantic as I am :)

I say thanks to everyone else, who read the story and enjoyed it! I've never had so many hits and reviews before! I love you guys! This story will have a special place in my heart!

So up to new adventures... please visit my profile to see what's coming :) Cheers!