Teenagers made out, fingers groped, dancers shivered, technicolor lights pulsed, amps thrummed, and sleazy salarymen pinched the behinds of passing waitresses. Lara Croft lowered the bouquet of roses as she hovered at the threshold. She scanned the crowd for that familiar brown jacket, that flash of laughter and perfume, that enigmatic smile - but nothing.

She breathed in deeply and exhaled.

Lara had expected an easy chase, but Sam had vanished into thin air. For an hour she had wandered the dark streets, calling Sam's name and drawing strange looks from passersby. She had even asked around at local grocer's, and left with a bouquet of flowers- the store-owner insisted- but no Sam.

At last, she stumbled into an old beggar who had seen a distraught 20-something Asianish girl. "Wobbled righ' into th' place there." He pointed at a club across the street. "Tears streamin' down 'er face. You 'er friend, or- 'ey!"

Lara had headed straight for the club, and now here she was. The throbbing bass made it hard to think, but she forced herself to assume Sam's point of view. She shook her head. If she was an upset, vulnerable, and sexually confused young woman, she would go straight for…

Shit.

"Excuse me," she said as she strong-armed her way to the bar. Some asshole grabbed at the roses, but she elbowed him soundly in the side and slipped through a gap before he could recover. Miraculously, she emerged from the horde with her bouquet uncrushed.

Cheap bottles staffed the shelves; a kaleidoscope of lights refracted off the glasses and painted the counter with colored dots. A harried student bartender was mixing a drink while a salaryman, nursing a shot of whiskey, blocked out the rest of the counter. Lara frowned as she peered over him. Sam had to be here - and she was, right at the end of the counter! She congratulated herself on her keen Nishi-Senses and was about to go over when she noticed him.

The broad-shouldered college boy. Who sat next to Sam. And was making her laugh.

Lara's eyes narrowed into slits. She shoved past the salaryman. "What's he doing here?"

Sam turned. Her eyes widened. "Lara-?"

"I'm hitting on her," the boy cut in.

Lara cocked an eyebrow at Sam. "You've got shit taste, Sam."

His nostrils flared. "What'd'you just say?"

Lara sneered. "Dense to boot, innit?"

He rose. "You say sorry, you whore."

Lara saw red, and drove her knee into his abdomen.

He doubled over. She grabbed a fistful of his hair, and smashed his head against the counter. He slumped to the floor. Onlookers cheered as she rammed her boot into his gut, and she was about to slam his face against the barstool when the manager pushed her way to the front of the gathered audience.

"Stop!" she roared. "Now! Now! Get out!"

Lara managed to score two more kicks before the bouncers hoisted her up by armpits and tossed her out the back door. She landed squarely on her arse on a pile of trash. One of the bouncers chucked the bouquet at her, and the door to Club Frenzy slammed shut. Save for the rats rifling around in the dumpster, she was alone in the dark back-alley behind the club. Great.

Club music swelled as the door swung open. Sam hurried out, saw her, and rushed to her side. "God!" She helped her to her feet. "You okay?"

"Yeah." Lara dusted herself off. "Are you all right?"

Sam shook her head. "You beat the shit out of him!"

"I should have killed the bastard."

"What? No!" Sam crossed her arms. "Jesus, Lara! You can't just go around hurting people you don't like!"

"Why? Did you like him?"

Sam narrowed her eyes. "What's wrong with you?"

"Forget it."

"Tell me."

"I said forget it."

"Lara, tell me what the hell-"

"I said forget it-"

"Tell me what the hell is going on!"

"You kissed me!" Lara said. "You kissed me, and then you ran off into some bloke's arms, so sorry if I'm upset!"

The words came out fast, quick, and painful. Sam opened her mouth, then closed it. Lara breathed heavily into her scarf. She hated arguing with Sam; it made all the ugly rise up in her belly. No one else could make her feel as scared.

Sam broke the silence. "Look." She looked down. "I just… I was confused."

She looked up for a response. None came. "So I panicked and ran. I was looking for a distraction. I didn't even like him. I was really insensitive and… I'm sorry." She breathed out. "But you shouldn't have done that."

Lara raised her head. "I know. I'm sorry too."

"Promise me you won't do it again."

"I won't- I promise."

Tentatively, they smiled at each other. Things were slowly starting to feel normal between them.

"So what now?" Sam ventured.

A good question. Lara's eyes landed on the fallen bouquet, and she scooped it up. Sam wrinkled her nose. "Cute, but no thanks."

"That's not it." Lara pulled out a folded note. "I, erm. I wrote down what I wanted to say." She held it out. "So I wouldn't have to say it out loud."

Sam hesitated, then took the note. She unfolded it. "Dear Sam," she began, "I wanted to-"

Lara flushed. "Don't read it out!"

"-know that you are my best friend-"

"Sam-"

"-anything else, and I-"

"Oh my God-"

"-give up our friendship for the world." Sam looked up. "Aww."

"Oh my Goddddd."

"If you insist." Sam smoothed out the note. "But I like you a lot, and I think that you like me too. So if you're okay with it... Dot dot dot." She frowned. "Dot dot dot?"

Lara muttered something unintelligible.

"What was that?"

More nonsense.

"Lara, you gotta speak up."

"I - I left it blank!" Lara said. "So I could ask you in person, and - right," she muttered, as Sam disintegrated into uncontrollable laughter. Half a minute passed before Sam finally stopped, wiping a tear from her eye.

"It's, it's cute! It's endearing."

"Great."

"Really!" Sam smiled, and took Lara's hands in her own. "It really is."

Lara glanced down at their hands. "Sam?"

Sam looked into her eyes. "I'd like to kiss you now," Sam said. "For real."

Her heart thumped. "Go ahead."

In the chill of the winter, the kiss was warm.

They broke apart gently. "By the way," Sam said, "you're the smartest, bravest, et cetera person I know. You just, um. Caught me off guard the first time, and I thought you were straight, and... And I'd love to go out with you."

Lara's heart stopped beating. "Really?"

"Of course, dummy!"

Lara beamed. Her heart felt like it was going to explode in her chest with happiness. "Thought I was the smartest person you knew?"

"Very funny." Sam shook her head. "Let's get outta here. It smells like piss."

"Right." Lara tossed the trampled bouquet into the dumpster and led the way out.

The street was deserted. It was peaceful. Sam grinned to herself.

"What is it?" said Lara.

"It's just..." Sam's giggled. "You honest-to-God tried hitting on my sexy male persona."

"You're an awful person."

"Love you too."

They kept walking. Hesitantly, Lara broached a different topic, and Sam casually latched on to it. Soon they were talking and laughing just like they used to. As they walked, their fingers brushed, but did not intertwine. Not yet. But in time they would.