"Do you have everything?"

She fumbles with her ponytail in a way that is just so pure Lara it makes me smile, despite everything. Her eyes glide over the equipment.

"Climbing gear?"

"Check." I nudge the relevant bag with my toes.

"Extra clothes?"

I pull a showgirl and gracefully show off the black and brown (boring) bag with exaggerated hand-gestures.

She's not ready, hell, I barely consider her to be 'okay'. But the time for sleeping and nightmares is over. Some fears need to be conquered, which are probably famous words of some historical figure Lara drools over or whatever, so what better to than get out there and just… do it?

I never claimed my ideas were good. Or that Lara was ever entirely sane.

But I think, this time… This time will be different. This time we'll be different.

This time… well, actually a few weeks ago, I found a familiar card on Lara's desk.

She's talking. Not to me, or walls, which is basically the same at this point, but an honest-to-god living person. She's healing, she's….better.

Not perfect to the world. But pretty damn perfect to me.

"Entertainment?" I ask, teasingly.

Her eyes crinkle, and there's that almost smile again. It shows teeth nowadays. "I'm not sure, do I?"

I pretend to ponder the question as she waits patiently.

Only it's not patient. Her body is a book I've read a thousand times, and the tense set of her shoulders is telling a familiar story.

But, as she assured me many, many times over, I'm not her ball and chain. I'm her rock, her fortress, her, well… everything.

"Well, you'll have to do with the embodiment of fun and awesomeness."

She makes a non-committal noise and I throw one of the rolled-up sleeping bags her way. She barely catches it and I grin.

"That is, if you don't keep her away with your snoring. I hear the cold air tends to trigger that in certain people."

"I do not snore." The reply is gloriously indignant.

My grin widens.

"I do not snore!" I resist the urge to brush the stray hair from her face as I approach and take both her hands in mine.

"Babe…" I give her a smoldering look.

"You're worse than an elephant."

I really should stop challenging anyone with hands like that.

- Sam, signing off.

A/N: So... Here we are, at the end of Sam's story. I hope you enjoyed reading, and I thank you for your attention and love, it is greatly appreciated. Perhaps once I get to playing the new Tomb Raider I'll find some inspiration for a sequel, but no promises.

To give a bit of an explanation about why I wrote this story the way I did, including the ending: this story is meant to be one that gives the readers a lot of free reign to read between the lines. Many things are hinted at, a lot of things are left unsaid, which is (I hope), the strength of this story. Sometimes there are no hundred words needed to describe a picture, just the one, and the rest is all up to you. Just like in any horror movie or game, that which cannot be seen is the most terrifying of all. In that sense, that which has not been said is the most powerful part of this story.

I hope that this helps you understand the story better, as well as (retroactively) enjoy it more.

For those of you who stay faithful and true, there will be a small present soon. Have patience.