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Dancing	By : fayzalmoonbeam Category: S through Z > Tomb Raider Views: 3365 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Tomb Raider, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1-Dancing
- 2-Chapter 2
- 3-Dreaming
- 4-Existing
- 5-Battling
- 6-Union
- 7-Tearing
- 8-Reunion
- 7
- 8
Chapter
8: Reunited

Summary:
Well, we�re on the home straight now�and I�m afraid it�s horribly
predictable. But sometimes it�s not the ending, but the journey that�s
important (or so they tell me!)

**
As
the sun rose on another beautiful morning at Croft Manor, its cheerful light was
deeply at odds with Lara�s dark state of mind. She should have felt excited
about the day, and the challenge ahead. Instead all she could feel was a dull,
aching emptiness. What had she done wrong? No, that was unfair to herself; she
knew. As far as she was concerned, she and Hillary had done nothing other than
give in to their very strong feelings about one another, but she now knew that
Hillary felt differently. Yesterday he had helped her to fly, today she felt as
though he�d clipped her wings.

What
the hell was she going to do? She had to leave for Peru in a little under twelve
hours in order to arrive in the country under cover of darkness, and the last
thing she wanted to do was leave, knowing that when she returned Hillary would
be gone. She couldn�t bear the thought of coming back to the house in two
weeks with the knowledge that she would no longer see Hillary at the door to
welcome her. But what could she do to avoid that situation?

On
automatic pilot, she wandered down to her drawing room to take breakfast.
Resting beside the silver tray, alongside her usual grapefruit juice, toast and
cereal lay an envelope. With a sense of foreboding that made her stomach churn,
hands trembling almost uncontrollably, she opened it.

My
dearest Lara,

I
took the opportunity while you were resting this morning to slip quietly away.
Lord Montague has been most accommodating and has agreed that I may start my
service a little early. Under the circumstances I felt it was best that we did
not linger over goodbyes; I do not wish to cause you more pain and
inconvenience.

Please
know that I never intended to hurt you, Lara, and that in all the years I have
served you and your family, I have never been happier than when I have been a
part of your life. Watching you develop into the beautiful and compassionate
woman that you are has been one of my greatest pleasures. I am only sorry that
our friendship, if I may take the liberty of calling it that, had to end so
suddenly and painfully for us both.

I
implore you, please keep yourself safe in Peru. You have always been precious to
me, and I know that, in pursuit of a target you can be careless with regard to
your own life. I hope that the knowledge that I am praying for your safe return
will, in some way compensate for the emotional damage I have done.

I
will always remember you, and you will forever be in my thoughts.

Yours,

James
Hillary.

As
Lara reached the last lines, Hillary�s elegant handwriting blurred before her
eyes. How could he just leave without even bothering to say a proper goodbye?
The thought that she would at least see him before he left had kept her hope
alive during the tous eus early hours of the morning, when the dawn had seemed
so distant a prospect and it was all she could to not to run down to the
servants quarters and wake him. Now, she had been denied even that. Without even
bothering to touch her breakfast, she ran from the room. She nearly collided
with Mrs Bainbridge, who, worried for the Lady of the Manor�s wellbeing was
hovering nervously outside the door.

�Can
I get you anything, Ma�am?� she asked as Lara stumbled from the room.

�Tell
me when he left,� Lara said bleakly. �And which way he went.�

Mrs
Bainbridge looked even more worried. �I�m sorry Ma�am, all I can tell you
is when he left, which was about six o�clock this morning. As far as which way
he went, well, there are so many routes from here to Lord Montague�s
residence, I couldn�t begin to guess.�

Lara
smiled sadly. �That�s good enough-he�s had two hours, he�s bound to be
nearly there by now.�

The
look on Lara�s face was so desolate that Mrs Bainbridge was touched deeply.
�If it�s any consolation, my Lady, he spent the whole of last night pacing
up and down in his study. He loves you tha than anything, from what I can
see.� Her eyes filled with tears as she looked at the young woman in front of
her. �He just couldn�t bear to ruin your reputation by bringing scandal on
your family name.�

�I
can�t believe I�ve known you all these years and never known that!� Lara
laughed. �But you�ve forgotten one.� She smiled. �How about Mr Hillary
Croft?�

Hillary
gave her an old-fashioned look. �Any wife of mine will take my name.� He
said solemnly, then the mischievous smile returned and the put his arms around
her again. As he did so, Lara gave a squeak.

�What
is it, am I hurting you?� Hillary replied, suddenly worried.

�No,
it�s just, oh bugger, we�ve only got five minutes before I have to leave for
the airstrip.� She turned frustrated eyes to Hillary, who gave a consoling
smile.

�I�m
sorry, but I have to go,� she said softly.

�Of
course you do,� Hillary replied. �I wouldn�t want you to do anything else
now that you�ve committed yourself. Can you give me five minutes to meet with
Lord Montague to tell him the news?�

�No
need to, old man!� Lord Montague seemed to materialise form nowhere. �Many
congratulations to you both.� He
shook Hillary�s hand and kissed Lara on the cheek. �And don�t worry, until
you go public, your secret�s safe with me.� Both of them smiled at the old
Lord�s sense of discretion.

Lord
Montague, in his hospitality agreed to have Hillary�s car sent back to Croft
Manor so that he could accompany Lara to the airstrip and see her off. It seemed
as though barely the blink of ae hae had passed before they were landing at Longmoor.
Standing together as the afternoon sun began to wane, Lara clung to Hillary for
one more moment.

�I
love you, Hilly,� she began. �More than I can say.�

Hillary
looked down at the woman he had loved for so long. �Come back to me, Lara,�
he said softly. �Come back and make me the happiest man in the world.�
- 7
- 8
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Dancing